title: Glove punctures in orthopaedic surgery.
abstract: From February 2001 to May 2001, 792 latex gloves used in 100 operations from three orthopaedic sub-specialties (paediatrics, hand and spine) were tested for puncture by a water infusion test. Sixty-nine gloves from 45 operations were punctured, giving an overall glove perforation rate of 8.7% (69/792) and an operative perforation rate of 45% (45/100). The hand operations had the lowest operative perforation rate (19.4%) while the spine operations had the highest (63.6%). The glove perforation rate increased in bony procedures (60% versus 22.5%), in procedures with major instrumentation (66% versus 18%) and in more lengthy procedures. The thumbs and the left index finger had more punctures than other parts. In addition, the glove perforation rate for single gloving was 9.6% (53/552) while that for the inner glove of double gloving was 0.8% (1/120). Based on these findings, we would like to recommend double gloving and regular glove changing in these high-risk surgeries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Hong Kong, Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital, 4/F Medical Officers' Room, Sandy Bay Road, Sandy Bay, Hong Kong S.A.R., Peoples' Republic of China.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yinusa
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chow
authors.forename: W Y
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: J C Y
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Leong
mesh_terms: D004868:Equipment Failure; D005932:Gloves, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects*