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Gauze sponges are disposable medical supplies used every day in hospitals and medical offices around the world. They are ordinarily made of gauze and are used to absorb blood and other fluids as well as clean wounds.
Common sizes include 2 by 2 inches (5.1 cm × 5.1 cm), 3 by 3 inches (7.6 cm × 7.6 cm), and 4 by 4 inches (10 cm × 10 cm).
The materials used in the manufacturing of gauze sponges for medical purposes include cotton and non-woven materials. In addition to its many sizes, plys, and fabrics, gauze sponges can also be sterile and non-sterile. The open weave design of gauze sponges assists with the removal of dead tissue from the skin surface as well as vertically wick fluid from the wound onto any secondary dressing to assist with preventing maceration of skin tissue. In order to avoid leaving gauze sponges in bodies, some kinds of gauze sponge are woven with X-ray detectable thread.