Glove perforation in outpatient dermatologic surgery

BACKGROUND. Intact surgical gloves ensure protection of health-care employees and health-care recipients. Nevertheless, glove perforation is very common and puncture rates above 50% have been published in the literature. OBJECTIVE. It was our aim to evaluate the perforation rate of surgical gloves in outpatient dermatologic surgery. METHODS. Six-hundred and sixty latex surgical gloves used in outpatient dermatologic surgery were evaluated for perforations using the approved water-leak method. Perforations were analyzed microscopically. RESULTS. Twenty of the 660 gloves were found to have perforations, which corresponds to a perforation rate of 3.0%. Only 5 of these perforations (25%) were noticed by the wearer. Perforations were more numerous in nondominant-handed gloves. Microscopically, all perforations could be identified as needle stick injuries. CONCLUSION. The risk of glove perforation in outpatient dermatologic surgery is lower than in many other medical specialties. The relatively high number of surgical procedures performed successively in outpatient dermatologic surgery, however, emphasizes the decisive relevance of an intact barrier between surgeon and patient. In view of the major fact that most perforations go unnoticed by the wearer, dermatologic surgeons must balance the improved safety of double gloving with costs and the loss of sensitivity and dexterity.