Synthetic surgical gloves

Surgical gloves are used by healthcare workers primarily to minimize the transmission of bloodborne pathogens and other potential infectants. Gloves made of synthetic materials are getting more attention with the increasing prevalence of allergies to natural rubber latex (NRL) among patients and medical staff. However, synthetic gloves are perceived by some people as providing less protection and being less comfortable than NRL gloves. In this study, we evaluated eight models of synthetic surgical gloves from six manufacturers. We examined their barrier effectiveness (that is, their resistance to viral penetration, resistance to puncture, and strength) durability, and comfort and compared these characteristics to those of NRL gloves. We found that all the gloves offered good barrier protection, but that their level of comfort varied widely. Three gloves were rated Preferred, three were Acceptable, and the remaining two gloves were Not Recommended.