Latex allergy: recognition and perioperative management

Because more than 40,000 household and medical products now contain latex, it is difficult if not impossible to avoid. Repeated exposure to latex leads to increased sensitization in susceptible people, resulting in significant, sometimes life-threatening problems. Health care workers need to be aware of latex allergy for their patients' protection, as well as their own. Proper identification of a potential or known latex allergy, awareness and avoidance of products containing latex, and appropriate perioperative management can avert the tragedy of anaphylactic shock and death.