Misteli et al studied the impact of glove perforation on surgical site infection (SSI). They identified patients who should be monitored more closely for infection. The authors are from University of Basel and University of Bern in Switzerland.
Perforation of a surgeon's glove was associated with increased risk of surgical site infection in those patients who did not receive preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis.
The risk of surgical glove perforation increased with
(1) longer operations
(2) presence of factors that can tear gloves (wire, needles, fractured bone, sharp surfaces, etc).
(3) improperly fitting gloves
Ways to reduce the risk of surgical site infection associated with glove perforation:
(1) double glove
(2) check gloves regularly for holes or change them periodically. The longer that a hole goes undetected the greater the risk to the patient and the surgeon.
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