Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.
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5 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • M A R C H 2 0 1 6 Anatomy of a Glove Trial Find the best fit with these 7 factors. Surgical glove choices are often driven by physician preference, followed of course by cost- effectiveness. Nothing compares to hands-on (or hands-in) experience, and supply budgets tend to get the last word, but several product specifications can demonstrate the differ- ences between gloves in terms of usability, strength and safety. Consider adding the fol- lowing factors to your evaluations the next time you run a trial. — David Bernard Fit and feel Surgeons want a glove that fits like a second skin. Snug but not too tight. Easy to don and remove. Most importantly, durable but thin enough to retain feeling. Different proce- dures demand different amounts of tactile sensitivity, so ask manufacturers for their gloves' thicknesses at the fin- gertip and the palm (mea- sured in tenths of a millime- ter) in order to better match gloves to surgical tasks. 1 Measure of comfort Find out modulus numbers for each glove. Modulus measures the amount of effort required to stretch the glove, and in turn how much a stretched glove squeezes the hand inside. A glove with a higher modulus may feel more resistant to movement and may be more likely to cause hand fatigue dur- ing a case. Modulus is meas- ured in megapascals (MPa), a metric unit of pressure. 2 Materials on hand For a long time, natural rubber latex was practically the only option for surgical gloves. A growing awareness of its aller- gy and sensitivity risks among providers and patients, however, has led many facilities to explore such synthetic alter- natives as nitrile, polyisoprene, poly- chloroprene (also known as neoprene) or polyvinyl chloride, which offer compara- ble strength and performance, if not the exact feel (or economy) of latex. 5 Double-gloving The CDC, AORN, OSHA and other authorities agree: Wearing 2 pairs of gloves during surgery reduces infection risks by providing backup protection if the outer glove is punctured. Colored under-gloves make any damage imme- diately visible. Since double-gloving may reduce sensitivity and dexterity, thinness plays an important role, as does texture. An outer glove with a smooth or lubricated inner surface may be easier to don over the first layer. 4