Incidence of glove perforation during episiotomy repair

A total of 416 gloves were tested for punctures after 200 episiotomy repairs. Evidence of perforation was found in 34 (8%) of the gloves used and in only half the cases did the surgeon actually realise that a perforation had occurred. The left index finger and thumb were more often perforated than other parts of the gloves. The implications of the findings, especially as regards spread of infections to surgeons, are discussed.