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General product information only, not medical advice. Product choice and use belong to the clinical team and the manufacturer’s instructions for use.
Cottonoids (neurosurgical patties) do not have one standard size: each manufacturer publishes its own catalogue. The largest range described here is the Codman range from Integra LifeSciences, which lists 13 patty sizes, the smallest a 5/16 in (7 mm) patty and the largest 3 x 3 in (76 x 76 mm), plus nine strip widths that are all 6 in (152 mm) long. For what a cottonoid is and how the FDA classifies it, see the cottonoid guide.
Cottonoid size chart (Codman patties)
Source: Codman Surgical Patties and Strips product brochure, Integra LifeSciences (Codman). Millimetre values are as printed by the manufacturer and are rounded. Each patty size is sterile and X-ray detectable, supplied 10 patties per package and 20 packages per dispenser box. This table shows one brand’s catalogue; other manufacturers list different sizes.
| Catalogue no. | Size (inches) | Size (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| 80-1396 | 5/16 in | 7 mm |
| 80-1399 | 1/4 x 1/4 in | 7 x 7 mm |
| 80-1400 | 1/2 x 1/2 in | 13 x 13 mm |
| 80-1401 | 3/4 x 3/4 in | 19 x 19 mm |
| 80-1403 | 1 x 1 in | 25 x 25 mm |
| 80-1397 | 1/4 x 1 1/2 in | 7 x 38 mm |
| 80-1398 | 1/4 x 3 in | 7 x 76 mm |
| 80-1402 | 1/2 x 1 in | 13 x 25 mm |
| 80-1404 | 1/2 x 1 1/2 in | 13 x 38 mm |
| 80-1406 | 1/2 x 2 in | 13 x 52 mm |
| 80-1407 | 1/2 x 3 in | 13 x 76 mm |
| 80-1408 | 1 x 3 in | 25 x 76 mm |
| 80-1409 | 3 x 3 in | 76 x 76 mm |
Strips
The same brochure lists strips in nine widths, every one 6 in (152 mm) long, also supplied 10 per package and 20 packages per dispenser box.
| Catalogue no. | Strip width (inches) | Strip width (mm) |
|---|---|---|
| 80-1449 | 1/8 in | 3 mm |
| 80-1450 | 1/4 in | 6 mm |
| 80-1451 | 1/2 in | 13 mm |
| 80-1452 | 3/4 in | 19 mm |
| 80-1453 | 1 in | 25 mm |
| 80-1454 | 1 1/2 in | 38 mm |
| 80-1455 | 2 in | 51 mm |
| 80-1456 | 3 in | 76 mm |
| 80-1457 | 3 1/2 in | 89 mm |
Check your product’s labelling. The label and instructions for use on the package you hold are the authority for its size, not this chart.
How to read a cottonoid size
Most patty sizes are printed as two dimensions in fractional inches with a millimetre equivalent, for example 1/2 x 3 in (13 x 76 mm), catalogue number 80-1407. A square patty repeats the same number twice. The brochure prints the smallest patty, 80-1396, as a single figure, 5/16 in (7 mm). Strips are listed by a single figure, because the length is fixed at 6 in.
Distributors often write the catalogue number without the hyphen: one distributor listing shows the 1/2 x 3 in Codman patty as manufacturer number 801407, which corresponds to 80-1407 in the brochure.
What to confirm on the label
Before relying on a size, compare these items on the package against the product documentation:
- The catalogue number and the printed dimensions agree with each other.
- The product is labelled sterile and single use, and the individual package is not opened or damaged. The Codman instructions for use state that the product is sterile as long as the individual package is unopened and undamaged.
- The product is labelled X-ray detectable, and the instructions for use are read for how that detection is defined.
- The pack quantity (10 patties per package for this range) matches what the count documentation expects. The brochure describes a transparent envelope that shows size and shape, and a Count Verification Card for tracking patties used.
Inch to mm and catalogue-number equivalence
The printed millimetre figures are rounded catalogue values, and they are not always a straight conversion. The same nominal quarter-inch dimension appears as 7 mm on patties (for example 80-1399) and as 6 mm on strips (80-1450). Use the figure printed for the specific product rather than converting yourself.
Common mix-ups
Patty versus strip
Patties are listed with two dimensions (the brochure prints 80-1396 with a single 5/16 in figure); strips have a single width and a fixed 6 in length.
Cottonoid versus Raytec gauze
A cottonoid is a compressed rayon pad. A Raytec sponge is a different product, X-ray detectable 4 x 4 in gauze; see what is a Raytec sponge, what is gauze and gauze types for that product family. A Kittner sponge is another small surgical sponge with its own entry.
The string is not the marker
According to the Codman instructions for use, every patty has a suture string attached to help with post-surgical count verification. The string is for identification and is not radiopaque. The device is considered radiopaque in accordance with ASTM F640, but the instructions note it may not be visible under all radiographic conditions, and the size and position of the marker can affect radiopacity.
Cutting and reuse
The instructions for use warn against cutting patties or strips, because fragments without X-ray detectable material may enter the surgical site. They also state the product is single use only and must not be resterilised.
Pack versus unit
A catalogue entry is a package of 10 patties, and a dispenser box holds 20 such packages. Quantities in a listing may refer to either.
Where to look up other products
The US National Library of Medicine’s AccessGUDID database lists device records, and sizes often appear in the device name, for example in records for other brands. A search for “cottonoid” lists 688 records (checked 2 November 2026). The FDA regulation 21 CFR 882.4700 describes a neurosurgical paddie as a pad used during surgery to protect nervous tissue, absorb fluids, or stop bleeding, and classifies it as Class II.
FAQ
What sizes do cottonoids come in?
It depends on the manufacturer. The Codman catalogue lists 13 patty sizes, from a 5/16 in (7 mm) patty to 3 x 3 in (76 x 76 mm), and strips from 1/8 in (3 mm) to 3 1/2 in (89 mm) wide, all 6 in long.
Are cottonoid sizes standardised?
Not as a single size. The dimensions in this chart come from one manufacturer’s catalogue, and other manufacturers list different sizes. Check the labelling and instructions for use of the product you are specifying.
Is the string visible on X-ray?
No. The Codman instructions for use say the locator strings are not radiopaque; they are for identification only.
Sources
- Codman Surgical Patties and Strips product brochure, Integra LifeSciences (Codman), checked 2 November 2026: https://res.onemed.com/SE/Produktblad/211283.pdf.
- CODMAN Surgical Patties and Strips Instructions for Use (Integra LifeSciences), checked 2 November 2026: https://www.rocialleacutecare.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2025/01/RM34-052.JJ-Codman-Swab-Neuro-Patties-XRD-0.5×1.5in-13x38mm-Pk-in-10.pdf.
- 21 CFR 882.4700, neurosurgical paddie, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/part-882/section-882.4700, checked 2 November 2026.
- AccessGUDID, US National Library of Medicine, https://accessgudid.nlm.nih.gov/, checked 2 November 2026.
