Exploring the benefits of double gloving during surgery.

Breaches in the glove barrier pose a risk for transmission of bloodborne pathogens during surgical procedures. Double gloving or double gloving with an indicator glove system may provide added protection. For this 24-month study, we used a comparative design to examine the effect of double gloving with inner indicator gloves on the durability of inner gloves and the detection of glove tears or perforations during surgery. The frequency of seeing blood on the hand after surgery was greater with single gloving than with double gloving, and the frequency of changing gloves during surgery was significantly higher among those who double gloved with an indicator glove system versus double gloving alone. The majority of health care providers in our study expressed favorable views about double gloving.