Double gloving as self protection in abdominal surgery

Abstract

Objective: To investigate if double gloving can reduce the rate of perforation of glove barriers during abdominal surgery.

Design: Randomised controlled trial.

Setting: County hospital, Denmark.

Subjects: 400 glove barriers from principal surgeons and first assistants used at consecutive abdominal operations.

Intervention: Each participant was randomised to wear either a pair of single or double gloves.

Main outcome measures: The number of perforated glove barriers in the two study groups.

Results: 40 single glove barriers perforated (20%) and in 8 of the double glove group both gloves perforated (4%) (p < 0.001). Glove barriers on non-dominant hands were more often perforated than those on dominant hands, and both the duration of the operation and the seniority of the doctor were associated with increased rates of perforation.

Conclusion: Double gloving reduces the rate of perforation of glove barriers during abdominal surgery and thereby the number of episodes in which transmission of disease from patient to surgeon would be possible.