16-10
MINOR SURGERY IN THE FIELD
Health workers in remote areas sometimes need to do emergency minor surgery,
such as closing of wounds, without the basic supplies for sterilizing and suturing. The
Medical Mission Sisters in the Philippines have developed these alternative methods,
using local resources.
FOR STERILIZING INSTRUMENTS AND BANDAGE MATERIALS:
Instruments and supplies are put into
a tray. Bandage materials, thread, and
other objects that must be kept dry
are wrapped in several layers of dead,
dry banana leaves, and then a layer
of green banana leaf. A piece of raw
cassava wrapped in banana leaf is also
placed in the tray, to serve as a ‘timer’.
cassava
‘timer’
bandage and
suture material
wrapped in
banana leaves
The tray is placed in a cooking pan.
The pan is then filled with water
until it reaches halfway up the tray.
water
level
banana
leaves
The pan is covered with 8 layers of
green banana leaves that have been well
washed. These are bound tightly in place
with strips of banana leaf or bark from the
strip of banana plant.
banana bark
Then the pan is placed on a low fire.
After boiling for about 2 hours,
carefully remove the banana leaves and
check to see if the cassava is cooked
(soft). If it is, your equipment should be
sufficiently sterilized.
FOR SURGICAL DRAPES:
When removing the banana leaves,
throw away only the top layer. The
inner layers are sterile and can be
used as surgical drapes.