Back in 1980 I used to use mineral oil as form of ultrasound gel that we used to use to apply over the patients skin, So many patients used to complain as the gel used to damage their clothes and smelt bad. Then we used to use butter in spray form and that proven bad idea to the infection control department . Then we used mix of glycerin and Vaseline and so on, even we used jello .
Some of our transducer used to have special gel in front of the lens and we used to change the gel viscosity by changing ,draining the thin fluid to thicker form to obtain the desire frequency . It was like a Flintstones era but we did it at that time with our huge large ultrasound machines called the contact scanners before we got our first real time scanners .
Large machines this is only part of the ultrasound machine I used to use in Windsor ,Ontario – Canada.
Ultrasound gel is a conductive medium that creates a bond between the skin and the ultrasound transducer. The ultrasound sound waves have a hard time traveling through air, so the gel prevents any extra air space between the probe and your skin in order to create a clear image of the fetus or other organs.
The advanced semi real time transducer back in 1982.
“what does your ultrasound gel do to your patient’s skin?” is anything other than acts as a conductive medium by reducing air space between the patient’s skin and the ultrasound transducer, you are using the wrong gel! Because ultrasound sound waves have a difficult time traveling through the air, ultrasound gel is used to reduce the air between your patient and the transducer to reduce acoustic impedance and reflection to allow for a clear image to be produced. While getting a clear image is the goal of using ultrasound gel, it should not compromise the comfort or safety of your patient.
According to one study contact dermatitis has occurred in a small population of patients exposed to ultrasound gel. However, it was concluded that the purpuric reactions occurred as a result of phenoxyethanol and paraben mixing and causing irritation to the skin. It is for this reason that although the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has not made restrictions on the use of parabens, HR Pharmaceuticals continues to make our products paraben-free.
Unpleasant Side-Effects
Some ultrasound gels can leave behind a greasy, sticky, or tacky residue or cause drying of the skin and flaking. This is typically true of oil-based gels or those that use propylene glycol as a conditioning agent. Because there are differing opinions by researchers and experts as to whether it is a dangerous toxin or a harmless compound, HR Pharmaceuticals has opted out of using them in our products, including EcoVue Ultrasound Gel. EcoVue is a water-soluble ultrasound gel that wipes off easily, without drying, flaking, or leaving a residue behind.
The extended arm that hold the transducer, you have to be so creative and imaginative to use this arm to obtain good images .
Bacterial Contamination
Bacterial contamination in ultrasound gel is uncommon. However, ultrasound jelly is moist, which is ideal for bacterial growth, so the FDA has placed restrictions on using multi-use bottles in settings where cross-contamination is high and refilling ultrasound gel containers. EcoVue ultrasound gel is a bacteriostatic (prevents bacterial reproduction) agent that helps prevent contamination and transmission of bacteria to patients. With the flip-top tube, there is a robust preservation system that helps ensure the multi-use bottle remains safe to use after opening. And, as always, our single-use packets are available in a sterile option that provides peace of mind that you are not introducing microbes to your patient’s skin.
Thank you for reading
Steve Ramsey, Okotoks , Alberta , Canada
