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Micropunctures of rubber gloves used in oral surgery
Abstract:
In 720 operations in ambulatory oral surgery, the 2,880 surgical rubber gloves used were tested at the end of operation for perforations not earlier detected (microperforations). Gloves of ordinary thickness (type A) and of a thicker quality (type B) were examined. Perforations were found in 1495% and 22.0% of type A gloves and in 3.2% and 2.0% of type B gloves when oral surgeons and dental students, respectively, were operators. Gloves worn by operation assistants showed a lower incidence of perforation. Before operation, 50 gloves of type A were punctured at the tip of right index finger by a sterile dental probe. Results of bacteriologic examinations of the right index and middle fingers strongly indicated that a high number of bacteria passed through pinholes in the gloves. The intact surgical glove represents an impermeable barrier, protecting not only the operation wound against skin bacteria from the hands of the oral surgeon, but also the oral surgeon against pathogenic microorganisms, in particular hepatitis virus type B, escaping from the oral cavity of the patient.
Insights
Surgical gloves, especially thicker types, showed significantly lower perforation rates during oral surgery. This highlights the importance of glove integrity for preventing bacterial contamination and protecting both patients and surgeons.
Area of Science:
- Oral Surgery
- Infectious Disease Control
- Medical Device Safety
Background:
- Surgical gloves are critical barriers in preventing cross-contamination during procedures.
- Microperforations in surgical gloves can compromise their protective function.
- Assessing glove integrity is essential for patient and healthcare worker safety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the incidence of microperforations in surgical rubber gloves used in ambulatory oral surgery.
- To compare perforation rates between different glove thicknesses (Type A and Type B).
- To assess the bacterial penetration through microperforated gloves.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 2,880 surgical gloves from 720 oral surgery operations.
- Categorization of gloves by thickness (Type A - ordinary, Type B - thicker).
- Bacteriological examination of fingers after intentional glove puncture.
Main Results:
- Perforation rates for Type A gloves were 14.9% (oral surgeons) and 22.0% (dental students).
- Perforation rates for Type B gloves were 3.2% (oral surgeons) and 2.0% (dental students).
- Bacteriological tests confirmed bacterial passage through glove pinholes.
Conclusions:
- Thicker surgical gloves (Type B) demonstrate a lower incidence of perforations.
- Glove integrity is crucial for preventing microbial transmission between patients and oral surgeons.
- Maintaining an impermeable barrier is vital for infection control in oral surgery settings.