title: Hazards of powder on surgical and examination gloves: a collective review.
abstract: This article reviews information on the hazards associated with dusting powders on latex surgical and examination gloves. Dusting powders were first applied to latex gloves to facilitate donning. After 1980, manufacturers devised innovative techniques to manufacture gloves without dusting powders. It has been well documented that the powders on gloves present a health hazard to patients, as well as to operating-room personnel. First, these powders elicit tissue toxicity in every tissue in the body. Second, these powders serve as carriers of latex allergen and may precipitate a life-threatening allergic reaction in sensitized patients. These well-documented hazards of glove powders have caused a growing number of hospitals in the world to abandon the use of examination and surgical gloves coated with powder, and instead to use only powder-free gloves.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, University of Virginia Health Systems, Charlottesville 22908-0376, USA.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Edlich
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Woodard
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Pine
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000209:etiology; D005932:Gloves, Surgical / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D020315:Latex Hypersensitivity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011208:Powders / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013213:Starch / Q000009:adverse effects; D013627:Talc / Q000009:adverse effects
chemical_list: D011208:Powders; D013627:Talc; D013213:Starch