EFFECTS OF A PROTECTIVE FOAM ON SCRUBBING AND GLOVING

Objective: To test the effects of a skin protectant - surgical scrub a nd glove integrity. Design: Forty-nine healthy adult volunteers were a ssigned (12 subjects per group) to apply a protective foam (DermaMed; Benchmark Enterprises, Salt Lake City, Utah) in conjunction with surgi cal scrub in one of the following formulations: 70% isopropyl alcohol, a liquid detergent base containing 4% chlorhexidine gluconate, a liqu id detergent base containing 7.5% povidone-iodine, or a nonantimicrobi al liquid soap (control). According to a standard protocol, subjects p erformed a surgical scrub on 3 days (every other day). Foam was applie d after surgical scrub on day 1 and before surgical scrub on day 3. No foam was applied on day 2. Subjects were gloved for 2 hours after sur gical scrub. Setting: Laboratory setting. Results: On all test days, t here were significant differences in bacterial reduction by products ( chlorhexidine gluconate or alcohol > povidone-iodine > control). When controlling for baseline counts and products used, there were no signi ficant differences in colony-forming unit counts on hands with or with out foam immediately after scrubbing or at 2 hours after scrub on glov ed or ungloved hands, nor were there differences in glove leakage rate s when foam was on hands. Conclusions: Such protectants can be used wi thout detrimental effects to scrub effectiveness or glove integrity.