Jacksonville, Fla. – In the face of the growing concern over the health hazards posed by powered medical gloves, Shands Jacksonville announced today that it has converted its operating rooms to a powder-free, latex safe environment.
A large number of the medical gloves worn by surgeons and other healthcare professionals are manufactured with powder, which is used to make them easier to put on. Once thought to be harmless, cornstarch powder is now associated with a number of post-operative complications such as abdominal adhesions, surgical wound infections and allergic reactions. These complications are caused by natural rubber latex proteins that either affect the skin directly or adhere to the starch powder and are inhaled by patients and professionals alike.
University of Florida surgeons who perform surgical procedures at Shands Jacksonville are now using Regent Medical’s Biogel® powder-free, surgical gloves manufactured with a special polymer coating that replaces powder and makes the gloves easy to put on and comfortable to wear, while also providing tactile sensitivity and ease of use.
“We want to take a proactive approach toward this issue,” said Richard Crass, M.D., associate chairman of the UF Department of Surgery at Jacksonville, an affiliate of Shands Jacksonville. “As the number of reported cases of NRL allergies rises throughout the country, we feel that this is the best choice for our employees and our patients.”
Natural rubber latex products may cause health problems ranging from mild skin reactions to life-threatening anaphylactic shock. NRL proteins, some of which are allergens, are bound to and carried by cornstarch powder to the user via inhalation or may be absorbed from the latex and powder through the skin and mucous membranes via direct contact. According to the latest National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health report, 8 to 12 percent of healthcare workers and 1 to 6 percent general consumers are latex sensitive.
“Natural rubber latex allergy is cumulative,” Crass said. “When we consider the number of gloves a healthcare worker uses on a daily basis, as well as the well-documented and demonstrated benefits of using natural rubber latex over other available synthetics, converting to powder-free, low-protein latex gloves is the best choice.”