Aobang Medical Equipment: Leakage Analysis of Medical Gloves

Leakage analysis of medical gloves

The leakage of medical gloves mainly comes from two aspects: one is the penetration caused by the inherent characteristics of the glove material, and the other is the perforation caused by external mechanical effects, such as sharp medical equipment. At the microscopic level, rubber materials themselves have many micropores. If the diameter of these pores is larger than that of bacteria/virus molecules, the latter will penetrate gloves and contaminate the skin or wounds in contact. As the usage time increases, the permeability of gloves will gradually increase. Research has shown that when medical gloves are used for less than 15 minutes, the leakage rate of the gloves is 29%; When the usage time exceeds 15 minutes, the leakage rate increases to 45.1%. Some medical staff even wear a pair of medical gloves to care for multiple patients, and wash and reuse the gloves. This long-term use and cleaning practice increases the permeability of the glove material, which is more conducive to the transfer of bacteria/viruses.

Another reason for glove leakage is damage caused by external mechanical instruments or sharp bone punctures inside the body. This phenomenon often occurs during surgical procedures, where sharp tools such as blades, needles, scissors, and bone fragments are the culprits causing damage. As the surgery time prolongs, the probability of medical gloves being damaged increases. According to literature reports, approximately 13.3% to 44.8% of gloves are damaged after surgery, with 20.7% of gloves being damaged during difficult labor surgery and 50% of gloves being damaged during suturing operations. Damaged areas are commonly found in the index and middle fingers. When medical gloves show obvious puncture damage, medical staff can generally detect it in a timely manner and replace them. But for more subtle pinholes, about half of medical staff often only discover them after adding water and pressure to their gloves after surgery. According to relevant research, a pinhole sized tear on gloves can release 18960 Staphylococcus aureus bacteria within 20 minutes, which is widely recognized as a common pathogen causing infections in patients. Therefore, whether it is the permeability of the material itself or the leakage of medical gloves caused by external puncture, it will pose a hidden danger to the safety of both doctors and patients. In order to minimize the infection caused by glove leakage, on the one hand, high-quality medical gloves that meet quality standards should be selected. On the other hand, the frequency of glove replacement and hand cleaning after glove removal should be strengthened. If possible, double-layer gloves can be worn to enhance protection