[Undetected surgical glove perforation during emergency procedures].
OBJECTIVE
Gloves are the most important barriers that protect hospital personnel and patients. Unfortunately, glove perforation rates reach up to 78% in high risk procedures. The purpose of this prospective study was to evaluate the glove perforation rate in emergency procedures carried out in the Emergency Service of 'Santa Casa de São Paulo', School of Medicine.


METHODS
The study analyzed all gloves used in the emergency room during a 2 months period. Gloves were tested immediately after the surgical procedure using the approved standardized water leak method.


RESULTS
A total of 252 surgical gloves used by residents in 42 surgical procedures and 2361 gloves used in emergency procedures were tested for the presence of punctures by the water insuflation method. Forty one (16.3%) of the gloves tested showed at least one puncture, 18 (33%) in traumatic emergencies. The overall perforation rate in the emergency room was 7,3%.


CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that the incidence of punctures in gloves during surgical procedures was high, and occurred mostly with surgeons.
Soldá
Silvia Cristine
SC
Departamento de Cirurgia, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP. ssolda@terra.com.br
Assef
José Cesar
JC
Parreira
Jose Gustavo
JG
Perlingeiro
Jacqueline Arantes G
JA
Candelária
Paulo de Azeredo Passos
Pde A
Cury
Marcelo P
MP
Manzione
Thiago da Silveira
Tda S
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004868:Equipment Failure / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005932:Gloves, Surgical; D006801:Humans