https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/f/clinical-discussions/20569/surgical-swabs Hi there, just wondering if any knows how many mls of blood can a 10cm x 10cm surgical swab can hold? Is it 4mls as cant seem to find the answer in books anyway. Thanks for your help Hannah x en-USTelligent Community 10https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/thread/140109?ContentTypeID=1Fri, 22 Feb 2013 15:05:49 GMT1a0763ec-3885-442c-853e-6cef656dfec5:7cdf3027-1a00-490f-9029-9e10eccb2216Rob Watkins<p>The definitive answer is 1ml of blood = 1.3g but for convenience everyone uses 1:1</p> <p>(Hopefully this is proof that I was paying attention in the nurse lecture I sat in on @Myerscough yesterday)</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/thread/140045?ContentTypeID=1Wed, 20 Feb 2013 20:29:34 GMT1a0763ec-3885-442c-853e-6cef656dfec5:ec06d97d-2544-43de-b425-cadae4f48e41Hannah Young<p>Another nurse asked me the other day and I couldnt remember, but the 1g=1ml of blood rings a bell. So thanks alot for your time and help everyone. Much appreciated. x</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/thread/139950?ContentTypeID=1Mon, 18 Feb 2013 00:59:05 GMT1a0763ec-3885-442c-853e-6cef656dfec5:cc2cabe0-f7d0-4522-b9df-980fea67b638Sal the 1st<p>I have only ever used 1g=1ml of blood. it isnt just the physical size of the swab but their absorbancy ie 8ply 12ply or 16ply ie the number of layers that make them up.</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/thread/139949?ContentTypeID=1Sun, 17 Feb 2013 23:37:27 GMT1a0763ec-3885-442c-853e-6cef656dfec5:5a3d9a42-431d-43da-a7c6-3c1286213ea8SmegSlayer<p>i don&#39;t recall being taught anything different for different sized swabs</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/thread/139938?ContentTypeID=1Sun, 17 Feb 2013 20:09:07 GMT1a0763ec-3885-442c-853e-6cef656dfec5:1b055ad3-ea9a-4f71-be49-a067850111aeAlison Clare Hickman<p><p style="padding-left:30px;">One gram of weight is equivalent to one ml of fluid. The above method doesn&#39;t include the original weight of the swab....not that it&#39;d be much I guess, so pretty much on the money...for a 10 x 10cm?? What&#39;s your formula for a smaller sized swab Smegslayer??</p></p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/thread/139937?ContentTypeID=1Sun, 17 Feb 2013 19:27:45 GMT1a0763ec-3885-442c-853e-6cef656dfec5:0e1c3475-f306-4405-a075-d7aab969e868SmegSlayer<p>i always thought it was 1ml of blood for every gram of blood soaked swab so if your swab weighs 5g then it equates to 5ml blood loss</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>https://www.vetnurse.co.uk/thread/139933?ContentTypeID=1Sun, 17 Feb 2013 18:04:06 GMT1a0763ec-3885-442c-853e-6cef656dfec5:e1fcb286-0099-4000-ae9e-26c6f7d96635Alison Clare Hickman<p>Why do you need to know? If it&#39;s to calculate for blood loss purposes then the only reliable method I know is to weigh the swab dry and clean and then weigh it again after being bloodied, subtract the difference and that&#39;s your weight in mls.... e.g. (using theoretical weights here)</p> <p>1g dry and clean: 2.5g bloodied: 2.5 - 1 = 1.5g which is equivalent to 1.5mls of blood.</p> <p>It&#39;s difficult to assess how much blood a swab will hold as, for example, a single clot could weigh more than a swab entirely soaked in free blood...</p> <p>This is the same method for assessing urinary output if a patient is toiletting on a bed: weight dry and clean bedding (including papers underneath): weight of wetted bedding materials: subtract one from the other and that&#39;s your amount of urine passed...</p> <p>Hope this helps.</p> <p>Ali h</p><div style="clear:both;"></div>