Double gloving might predispose to injury by blunting temperature perception

Abstract

Double gloving may blunt perception of excessively warm instruments. We describe a case where this might have contributed to a cutaneous burn in a patient undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. To test the role of two gloves in blunting temperature perception, we performed two experiments. In the first, 250 ml of water at 70 degrees C were placed in one glove or two gloves, and the rate of change of temperature after submersion in a bath at 18 degrees C was measured. The use of two gloves was associated with a marked decrease in rate of change in temperature (temperature at 5 min 37 +/- 2.3 degrees C [double gloves] versus 24 +/- 2.6 degrees C [single glove]; p < 0.001). In the second experiment, a thermometer covered with no gloves, one glove, or two gloves (group 5; n = 5) was submerged in a water bath at 90 degrees C. After 5 s, the temperature without gloves was 85.2 +/- 2.2 degrees C compared with 61.3 +/- 0.8 degrees C with one glove and 45.6 +/- 1.1 degree C with two gloves (p < 0.001). After 15 s, the temperature without gloves was 90.2 +/- 1.6 degrees C compared with 76.5 +/- 0.5 degrees C with one glove, and 64.4 +/- 0.8 degrees C with two gloves (p < 0.001). We conclude that the use of two gloves significantly decreases heat transmission, thus altering temperature perception.