Double gloving. Protecting surgeons from blood contamination in the operating room
E. J. Quebbeman, G. L. Telford, K. Wadsworth, S. Hubbard, H. Goodman and M. S. Gottlieb
Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226.
Health care workers, particularly surgeons, understand the importance of
preventing contamination from blood of patients infected with deadly
viruses. One of the most common areas of contamination is the hands and
fingers due to the failure of glove protection. There are varying opinions
regarding the frequency of glove failure, the necessity of wearing two
gloves for added protection, and the ability to operate when wearing two
gloves. We performed a prospective, randomized, trial of 143 procedures
involving 284 persons to answer these questions for surgeons and first
assistants. Overall, the glove failure rate (blood contamination of the
fingers) was 51% when one glove was worn and 7% when two gloves were worn.
Acceptability was 88% in the group who agreed to wear two gloves, and 88%
of these did not perceive that tactile sense was significantly impaired. We
believe that double gloving should be, and can be, used routinely during
major surgical procedures to protect surgeons from blood contamination.
