Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 4, 2026

Swab Sampling Method for the Detection of Human Norovirus on Surfaces
Published on: February 6, 2017
Can the radiopaque marker in surgical swabs scratch orthopaedic implant surfaces?
Anthony A Theodorides1, Todd D Stewart2,3, Ram Venkatesh2
1Leeds Musculoskeletal Biomedical Research Unit, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Chapeltown Road, Leeds, LS7 4SA, UK. a.theodorides@gmail.com.
Aims:
To determine whether the radiopaque marker strip, which is woven in surgical swabs, causes measureable wear on metal implants at pressures typically used to wipe off fluid from their surface.
Materials And Methods:
Finger pressure used to wipe a surface was measured and used as a reference pressure for further testing. A tribological wear rig was then used to analyse the wear caused on polished titanium plates by a cobalt chromium pin (the control test), the pin covered by a surgical swab and the pin covered by a radiopaque marker strip.
Results:
It was found that the cotton part or the radiopaque marker of surgical swabs on polished medical grade titanium plates caused no significant wear. In contrast severe scratching was observed from the cobalt chromium pin on its own.
Conclusion:
To our knowledge, this is the first study in the literature analysing the wear caused by the surgical swabs and radiopaque strip on metal implants. The results suggest that surgical swabs are safe to use on metallic implants at pressures typical of a wiping motion.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Surface Tension and Surface Energy
Consider a beaker filled with liquid. The bulk molecules in the liquid experience equal attractive forces on all sides with the surrounding molecules. However, the surface molecules experience a net attractive force downward due to the bulk molecules. The surface of the liquid behaves like a stretched membrane,...
Wood Surfacing
The equipment used in the surfacing process is a plane equipped with rotating blades. This tool efficiently smoothens the wood surface and can...
Cell-surface Signaling
Area of a Surface of Revolution
Equipotential Surfaces and Conductors
Surface Membrane Barriers
The outer layer of the skin, the epidermis, is a robust barrier comprising layers of closely packed keratinized cells. This dense arrangement prevents microbes from penetrating the body. The periodic shedding of epidermal cells...

