title: A new hazard of cornstarch, an absorbable dusting powder.
abstract: Cornstarch is currently the only powder used in the manufacture of surgical and examination gloves. The purpose of this study was to determine if cornstarch damages local tissue defenses in contaminated wounds. It was found that in contaminated wounds, cornstarch enhanced the growth of bacteria and elicited exaggerated inflammatory responses as measured by wound induration. As a result of this investigation, we do not recommend the use of gloves with cornstarch powders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Ruhl
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Urbancic
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Foresman
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: G T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Rodeheaver
authors.forename: R D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Zura
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Edlich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005932:Gloves, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000378:metabolism; D013211:Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects; D013213:Starch / Q000633:toxicity*; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D013213:Starch