Perforation rates for nonsterile examination gloves in routine dermatologic procedures.
BACKGROUND
Low cost, nonsterile examination gloves are used routinely to perform various dermatologic procedures.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the perforation rate of nonsterile examination gloves in routine dermatologic procedures.


METHODS
Three hundred fifty nonsterile latex examination gloves used to perform shave biopsies were evaluated for perforations using an air inflation/water submersion method. Ninety gloves, which were intentionally perforated with a 30-gauge needle, were used as controls to assess our evaluation method.


RESULTS
Eight of the 350 gloves were found to have a perforation, which corresponds to a 2.3% perforation rate. Seven of the eight perforations were found in the web space between the second and third finger sleeves, with one being an obvious manufacturing error. All 90 perforations of the control group were correctly identified.


CONCLUSIONS
There appears to be a very low risk of glove perforation when nonsterile examination gloves are used in routine dermatologic procedures.
Kupres
Krista
K
Department of Dermatology, Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas 78234, USA.
Rasmussen
Steven E
SE
Albertini
John G
JG
D001706:Biopsy; D017575:Gloves, Protective / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007840:Latex; D008422:Materials Testing
D007840:Latex