Surgical drapes are sterile, disposable or reusable barriers essential for creating and maintaining a sterile field during operations, preventing surgical site infections by isolating the incision from non-sterile areas like skin, hair, and clothing. Made from multi-layered SMS nonwoven fabric (spunbond-meltblown-spunbond) or reinforced plastic, they feature fenestrated openings for access, impervious zones to block fluid strike-through, and adhesive edges for secure placement; types include universal sheets, U-split drapes for limbs, incise films directly on skin, and specialty designs for cardiology or orthopedics. Applied sequentially from chest to site after skin prep, they reduce SSI risk by 40% per CDC guidelines while allowing breathability to prevent tenting.