ABSTRACT
By definition, a bolster is a device used as a reinforcement or cushion, usually extending from side to side of a bed. Surgical bolsters have been used under retention sutures to provide mechanical advantages in approximating wound edges (1). Because suture material applies a large force over a relatively small area, necrosis and laceration (suture cutting through the tissue) can occur. Bolsters function to reduce the potential for necrosis and laceration by distributing the wound closure tension over a broader surface area. Bolsters decrease force per unit area at discrete points on the wound, therefore reducing ischemic necrosis and laceration. They also place pressure on the wound to decrease ‘dead’ space and prevent formation of hematomas and seromas. A uretral catheter, Red Rubber Robinson (RRR), is a readily available product whose properties make it a superior choice as a bolster for dermatological surgery.
