Background: Breakdown of the surgeon-patient barrier represents a risk for transmission of infectious disease. Such breakdowns are frequently not recognized by the surgical team. The protection afforded by double gloving under normal operating conditions was evaluated.
Methods: An electronic device detected breakdown of the surgeon-patient barrier in a series of 80 surgical procedures, randomly assigned to either double or single gloving. Fluid contact due to glove perforation, porosity or gown wetting was recorded during 151 individual surgeon episodes covering 238 operator-hours. Surgical procedures were called superficial for incisions of less than 10 cm.
Results: Double gloving reduced the number of perforation and porosity alarms twofold in both superficial and deep surgical procedures. Deep procedures carried a sevenfold increased risk of barrier breakdown compared with superficial procedures, the risk being greatest for the principal operator.
Conclusion: Without electronic detection, a large majority of barrier breakdowns would remain undetected by the surgical team and lead to prolonged contact with potentially contaminating body fluids. The use of double gloving provides real protection against such contamination risks.