Latex allergy: a challenge for anaesthetists.

First reported in 1979, anaesthetists now encounter more and more patients with latex allergy. Several risk groups prone to develop this allergy have been identified. A thorough preoperative interview is necessary to detect high-risk patients. For them, the perioperative period is very dangerous because of the many possibilities of contact with latex-containing materials. There is no cure for latex allergy. Absolute avoidance of contact with latex is the only safe way to treat those who belong to a risk group or who are already allergic. The diagnosis of latex allergy must be kept in mind in every case of perioperative anaphylaxis, even if the patient does not belong to a risk group. In the future, desensitization will probably be useful in helping patients with latex allergy.