Increased safety of surgical glove application: the under/over method

Surgical gloves are a necessity when performing abdominal surgery not only to protect the patient from bacterial contamination but also to protect the surgeon and surgical assistants from biological fluids. One site for interruption of the barrier between biological fluids in the open abdomen and the surgeon is the interface of the surgical gown and the surgical gloves at the wrist. In the under/over method for double-glove application, the first pair of gloves are positioned under the surgical gown (Figs 1 and 2) and the second pair are positioned over the cuff of the surgical gown and secured with self-adherent wrap (Figs 3 and 4). The under/over method prevents contact of the cuff of the surgical gown with the wrist skin and reduces the possibility of exposure of the surgeon to biological fluids during abdominal surgery.