Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of glove perforation among undergraduates and residents performing maxillofacial surgery and identify procedures associated with the perforations.
Study design: For this purpose, 200 pairs of surgical gloves were used. For inspecting the perforations, the gloves were filled with water, at least 500 ml.
Results: Sixteen gloves (8%) were perforated, 8 (4%) by residents and 8 (4%) by undergraduate students. Only the residents noticed that 2 gloves (1%) were perforated and identified the object causing the perforation. The left hand was the more affected with 9 perforations (4.5%). The finger pulp was the region most affected with 12 perforations (6%). The perforated forefinger appeared in 8 gloves (4%), representing the highest incidence of perforations.
Conclusion: We concluded there was no difference in surgical glove perforation between undergraduate students and residents, the incidence of perforations was greater in the left hand (nondominant hand) and the fingers in which most perforations occurred were the forefinger and the thumb.