Maintaining a Sterile Surgical Bump

Sterile towel bumps are commonly used to elevate the leg during foot and ankle surgery and can allow for improved surgical site exposure and x-ray views. In part due to extremity motion in foot and ankle surgery, items on the field undergo frequent shifts, consequently elevating the risk of contamination of items that fall below the sterile field. Intraoperatively, every minute counts as operating room time is a valuable resource and extended surgical duration increases the risk of postoperative infections. This highlights the opportunity to improve patient safety and operating room efficiency. We present a simple solution using materials readily available in the operating room that aims to maintain a sterile bump in foot and ankle surgery. The authors are optimistic that this technique will help maintain a sterile surgical bump to enhance the efficiency of the operating room for all foot and ankle surgeries.