Glove perforation during oral surgical procedures.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of glove perforation among undergraduates and residents performing maxillofacial surgery and identify procedures associated with the perforations.


METHODS
For this purpose, 200 pairs of surgical gloves were used. For inspecting the perforations, the gloves were filled with water, at least 500 ml.


RESULTS
Sixteen gloves (8%) were perforated, 8 (4%) by residents and 8 (4%) by undergraduate students. Only the residents noticed that 2 gloves (1%) were perforated and identified the object causing the perforation. The left hand was the more affected with 9 perforations (4.5%). The finger pulp was the region most affected with 12 perforations (6%). The perforated forefinger appeared in 8 gloves (4%), representing the highest incidence of perforations.


CONCLUSIONS
We concluded there was no difference in surgical glove perforation between undergraduate students and residents, the incidence of perforations was greater in the left hand (nondominant hand) and the fingers in which most perforations occurred were the forefinger and the thumb.
Xavier
Ruth Lopes de Freitas
RL
Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Pernambuco, Recife, Brazil.
Vasconcelos
Belmiro Cavalcanti do Egito
BC
da Silva
Luiz Carlos Ferreira
LC
Porto
Gabriela Granja
GG
D005383:Finger Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D007839:Functional Laterality; D005932:Gloves, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D019647:Oral Surgical Procedures / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013933:Thumb / Q000293:injuries; D014950:Wounds, Penetrating / Q000453:epidemiology