Hazards to surgeons in trauma and elective orthopaedic surgery: use of an electronic device to warn of intraoperative glove perforations.

An electronic device intended to detect glove punctures as they occur peroperatively has been described previously. This study reports the experience of its use in 80 orthopaedic cases. The device detected all punctures, except one, where fluid could have contacted the surgeon's hand (n = 16). Wet gowns and drapes are potential routes for transmission of pathogens, and were responsible for the alarm sounding on 30 occasions. This device can minimise the exposure to potentially hazardous body fluids when glove punctures are not clinically apparent.