Bandage clips are the small clips that are used to hold an elastic bandage in place. These clips can be both metal and plastic and have small teeth, which bite into the bandage to keep it in place. These bandage clips are easily removed and are much less prone to injuring the user when compared to using safety pin.
Prior to bandage clips, safety pins were used to hold bandages in place. An inherent problem with the safety pins was inadvertent stabbing of the injured patient. These pins would also come open as the patient moved or slept, and this would allow the bandage to come off. Bandage clips continually bite in deeper as the patient moves, thus continuing to keep the bandage tight and in place.
Perhaps the greatest success of the bandage clip lies in its ability to be applied by the patient without assistance. While safety pins are difficult for a patient to use without assistance, a bandage clips' ease of application can often be accomplished by the patient without assistance. They can typically be easily applied with either hand by the patient.
Another innovation of the plastic bandage clips are the ability to remain in place during the taking of X-rays. The clips can be X-rayed without danger of showing up in the shot. This allows burn victims and other injured patients to remain bandaged while undergoing this procedure. Prior to the clips, patients would often be required to remove the bandages prior to having an X-ray.
Bandage clips are also important in the fight against blood born disease. Prior to the bandage clip, infection could be passed from patient to patient, and patient to doctor, through small pricks with a safety pin. The clips are much more sterile than the pins and offer much less threat of cross-contamination from person to person.
Animals also benefit from bandage clips. The clips are being used by veterinarians in the treatment of small animals. The animals are prone to injury from pins if they are able to chew on their bandages. The clips prevent the sticking injuries associated with pins. They are also much easier to apply on a struggling animal than a safety pin.
Sterility, ease of application and holding power have all helped to make the bandage clip a much needed medical staple. Preferred by medical staff and patients alike in many instances, the bandage clip soars high above its predecessor, the safety pin. Found worldwide in hospitals and even veterinarian clinics, the bandage clip has served well in many different cases.