Evaluation of hand sensibility with single and double latex gloves

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine hand sensibility of surgeons wearing single and double latex gloves. Evaluation of hand sensibility, including cutaneous pressure thresholds, moving two-point discrimination, and static two-point discrimination, was performed on 25 surgeons (mean age 45 years). The dominant hand index finger was assessed with no glove, single glove, and double glove. The majority of surgeons had a moving and static two-point discrimination of 2 or 3 mm. The lowest cutaneous pressure thresholds were found when measured with no gloves and increased with single and double gloves. Statistically significant differences in cutaneous pressure thresholds using Semmes-Weinstein monofilaments were found for gloves versus no gloves (p < 0.0003) and single versus double gloves (p = 0.0003). Statistically significant differences in moving two-point discrimination were found for no gloves versus double gloves (p = 0.05) and single versus double gloves (p = 0.02). In conclusion, we found significant differences in hand sensation when measured with single and double gloves.