Comparison of Unnoticed Glove Perforations during Minimally Invasive versus Open Surgeries: A Systematic Review and

Sachit Anand1, Zenon Pogorelić2,3, Apoorv Singh4

  • 1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai 400053, India.

Abstract

Insights

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and open surgery (OS) have similar rates of macroscopic glove perforations. However, open surgery shows a higher incidence of microscopic glove perforations, though evidence is limited by study bias.

Area of Science:

  • Surgical Safety
  • Medical Device Performance
  • Infection Control

Background:

  • Glove perforations are a known risk during surgical procedures, potentially compromising patient safety and increasing infection risk.
  • Both open surgery (OS) and minimally invasive surgery (MIS) involve the use of surgical gloves, necessitating an understanding of perforation rates in different surgical approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To conduct a meta-analysis comparing the incidence of macroscopic and microscopic glove perforations between minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and open surgery (OS).
  • To evaluate the available evidence on glove integrity in MIS versus OS.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic literature search of scientific databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, EMBASE) following PRISMA guidelines.
  • Inclusion of four comparative studies analyzing glove perforation rates in MIS and OS.
  • Calculation of pooled risk ratios (RR) for macroscopic and microscopic perforations using the Mantel-Haenszel method; methodological quality assessed using the Downs and Black scale.

Main Results:

  • No significant difference was found in the incidence of macroscopic glove perforations between MIS and OS (RR 0.57, p=0.27).
  • The incidence of microscopic glove perforations was significantly higher in the OS group compared to the MIS group (RR 0.72, p=0.02).
  • All included studies exhibited a moderate risk of bias.

Conclusions:

  • Macroscopic glove perforation rates do not differ significantly between MIS and OS.
  • Open surgery is associated with a significantly higher rate of microscopic glove perforations compared to MIS.
  • The current evidence is limited due to the moderate risk of bias in the included comparative studies.

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