Intraoperative surgical glove perforation is common and always classifies as a breach of sterile technique. Reports of surgical glove perforation range from 3.58% to 78%.1 Each type of break involving compromised glove integrity is serious, as potentially pathogenic organisms can travel through holes in the glove(s). This pathogenic transfer inevitably increases contamination of the operative site.2 The risk of a surgical glove’s integrity varies according to factors such as the nature of the task at hand, the type of surgery, the surgical and aseptic skill of the wearer and their dominant hand, the type and particularly the sharpness of surfaces coming into contact with the glove(s) and the length of continuous time for which a glove or pair of gloves are worn and the mechanical stress to which they are subjected.3 Please read more to review current research into the cause, prevention and recommendations for best practice using routine double gloving and systematic changing of the outer gloves.
