Non-coated, coated, vinyl covered, closed-cell, and patented Stealth sponges

Coated Sponges VS Non-Coated Sponges

Non-coated Sponge. A non-coated sponge is simply a bare piece of sponge cut into a particular shape. Think like a standard kitchen sponge. No coating, porous (absorbs liquid), and not very durable. These types of sponges exist because some applications and some facilities require nothing more than a basic piece of sponge. In the rare instance that the patient bleeds on it, that sponge needs to be disposed of and they would have to order a new one.

Some facilities and usage require protecting the sponge from the absorption of liquids and bodily fluids.  ANY TIME you apply a coating to a sponge it will show up under x-ray because the chemical coating reacts with the imaging. In order to meet this standard, there are typically three types of positioning sponges that a hospital (or any place determined by regulations) can order:

Coated Sponges. These are standard sponges coated with a protective chemical surface. The chemical surface preserves the pliability (flexibility) of the sponge but creates a non-porous surface. These can be wiped clean and are sanitary to use repeatedly. However, the outer coating is simply a chemical film. Under enough pressure or certain types of impact, the coating can rip and tear.

Vinyl Covered Bolsters. These are firm foam shapes covered with a heavy-duty, vinyl material. These positioners are extremely durable with a cleanable, non-porous surface (like a boat seat). Techno-Aide currently offers completely sealed seams on our bolsters. The vinyl will also show seams under imaging.

Closed-cell Sponges. These are relatively new on the market. However, they are currently the top-recommended type of imaging sponge. These positioners are made from a low density, non-porous, highly durable foam. Think of a high-quality pool noodle that won’t absorb any water. The density of the foam is so high that no coating is required to be non-porous and durable! These sponges are 100% radiolucent and will not show up under x-ray! These sponges come in a charcoal grey color and will stay artifact-free even with normal wear and tear. Field of view is not a concern due to their radiolucent properties.

Stealth Sponges – Stealth Core and Stealth Coat

The terms “Stealth-Core” or “Stealth-Coat” are trademarks of Techno-Aide for a specific style of sponge design. Techno-Aide developed and patented a way to make nearly any sponge design artifact-free by applying proprietary angles to the design of the sponge.

Stealth-Core—A typical (let’s say a square sponge) is considered “core foam.” This is where the “core” in Stealth-Core comes from. A Stealth-Core sponge is a non-coated piece of sponge that we have applied patented angles to the design to eliminate artifacts.

Stealth-Coat—We take a coated sponge design and apply our patented angles to it. This ensures that the sponge is artifact-free. If a coating is applied to a sponge it will show under imaging. However, a sponge can show and not be considered an artifact. Our design ensures the sponge does not show artifacts.