a perforation was 36.84%. When a double glove perforation indication
system was worn, the detection rate for a perforation was 86.52%.
Which brings us to our next myth …
3. It's just as easy to detect perforations in sin-
gle gloves as within double gloves. A perforation
indicator system uses a colored pair of gloves worn beneath a stan-
dard pair of gloves. Wearing dark-colored gloves under light-colored
gloves helps surgeons and surgical team members more readily notice
glove perforations and change gloves more easily than if they're wear-
ing 2 pairs of the same-colored gloves, studies have found. When
glove perforation occurs, moisture from the surgical field seeps
through the perforation between the layers of gloves, revealing the
underlying color and signaling a perforation. Wearing a colored pair of
gloves underneath a standard pair of gloves makes it much easier to
spot a perforation. A study found that only 21% of perforations were
visible when wearers wore 2 pairs of standard gloves. When they
wore a perforation-indicator system, the detection rate soared to 77%.
Another study found that regular glove changes during a procedure
can reduce the incidence of perforation and contamination.
Researchers evaluated the incidence of glove perforation and contam-
ination when personnel scrubbed for primary cemented total hip
replacement surgeries changed their outer gloves at specific intervals.
In the study group, outer gloves were changed every 20 minutes prior
to cementation, and when a visible puncture was detected. In the con-
trol group, outer gloves were changed prior to cementation and when
a visible puncture was detected. There was a statistically significant
lower rate of perforations for surgeons and scrub persons in the study
group compared with surgeons and scrub persons in the control
group. There also was a statistically significant lower rate of glove
contamination in the study group compared to the control group.
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | February 2015
