Learn About Gloves
To be considered appropriate, hand protection must meet four essential criteria. It must allow excellent tactile sensitivity, provide barrier protection, remain non-reactive when contacting patient or operator tissue, and provide comfort over an extended length of time. The trade-off has always been between protecting hands with durable material and allowing the operator to experience realistic feeling during intricate procedures. Fortunately, ongoing research into synthetic material continues to produce newer materials that have the resiliency for adequate barrier protection and less thickness, thereby improving tactile sensitivity. The ability to manipulate instruments and materials is also related to sensitivity, which is often best controlled by texturing the surface. Our new Protégé glove is constructed from the newest ultra-thin, yet durable, textured material.
Barrier Protection
The quality of barrier protection varies by material, and by manufacturer. Some materials, like vinyl, meet federal standards for short lengths of time but have relatively low in-use durability when used with significant hand manipulation or during long procedures. Therefore, Aurelia does not manufacture or distribute vinyl gloves. Vinyl gloves are also prohibited to be manufactured in Malaysia and most countries due to excessive toxic release during manufacturing, which is harmful to the environment. Some materials are not resistant to contact with specific chemicals. These restrictions are detailed on Table A. Though most hand protection maintains its integrity for 3-5 years, improper storage conditions can jeopardize these properties. Remember that stock should always be rotated and individual boxes should remain unopened until use. Of course, punctures are always possible from rings or when long, natural nails exert excessive pressure in the fingertip area.
All latex and synthetic gloves are required by the Federal Drug Administration to comply with the minimum specifications set by the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), outlined in Table B. Because some manufacturers elect to manufacture to higher standards, glove durability varies greatly within the industry. Gloves are also subject to quality assurance procedures.
Non-Reactive
Most everyone is familiar with the term ‘latex sensitivity”, which is either linked to proteins that exist in natural rubber latex (type I) or chemicals used in the manufacturing process (type IV). Either the patient or operator can exhibit acute or delayed reactions to latex, with the risk heightened by the frequency of exposure. But people also have reactions to the powder used to line some gloves, or the chemicals and fever-causing endotoxins within the material. The endotoxins are produced by gram-negative bacteria, mold, yeast, or viruses that grow in warm, moist environments. Artificial nails and jewelry really encourage this type of growth. More severe reactions, such as inflammation, irritation, diarrhea, and respiratory distress may also be generated by endotoxins.
Latex sensitivity is classified as a Type I protein allergy or a Type IV chemical allergy. A Type I allergy is characterized by almost-immediate onset, within minutes or up to an hour after exposure. It manifests as hives or flushing on skin, itchy of swelling eyes, runny nose or cough, asthma-like symptoms, nausea, or even anaphylactic shock. Treatment should cease and medical treatment should follow.
Since Type I allergy relates to latex proteins, the powder in powder-lined latex gloves acts as an airborne carrier that can contaminate instruments and equipment or inadvertently be inhaled by latex-sensitive individuals. Though the volume of powder is mandated by ASTM standards, it would be wise to use powder-free synthetic gloves for patients who indicate latex allergy upon initial screening. The donning of these gloves is easier if hands are completely dry.
Type IV allergy is the result of chemical sensitivity to the substances used during the manufacturing process. These symptoms usually have a delayed onset of 6 hours to 2 days and manifest as a localized contact dermatitis with redness, itching, small blisters or oozing lesions up to, and possibly including, the wrist. It is advisable to be tested for the allergen, wear liners to cover hands inside the glove, and switch to powder-free gloves which often have gone through a chlorination process to reduce the level of chemicals present after manufacturing.
Comfort
Hand protection must be comfortable. Proper fit around the palm minimizes fatigue and a snug fit at the fingertips reduces the risk of dropped instruments and materials. To find the proper fit, use a cloth tape to measure around knuckle-region of the hand, below the fingers but above the thumb base. This number, roundest to the nearest half-inch, indicates the specific size or half-size that gives the most accurate palm fit. Adjustments may need to be made for people with extremely short, long or wide fingers. The Customer Service center can help with proper fit in these situations. They can also convert hand measurements to the small, medium, and large general sizing, found in certain product lines.
Storage Conditions
Products should never be stored in an area that exceeds 90°F, in ultraviolet or intense artificial light, or near chemicals or ozone-generating sources such as electric motors. In addition, petroleum-based hand lotions, creams for dermatitis, and oils quickly degrade most materials and should be avoided. Hand sanitizer must dry completely prior to touching gloves because the alcohol content in the formulation has the same effect.