LATEX SENSITIZATION IN GENERAL PEDIATRIC SURGICAL PATIENTS - A CALL FOR INCREASED SCREENING OF PATIENTS

Background/Purpose: Latex sensitization is a well-documented occurrenc e in children with myelodysplastic and urologic anomalies. The inciden ce of latex allergy in general pediatric surgical patients, however, h as not been previously addressed. The purpose of this study was to exa mine the risk of perioperative latex reactions in a general pediatric surgical practice over a 1-year period. Methods: This study examined t he occurrence of latex sensitization using two methods. First, the pre operative anesthesia records of patients that have undergone surgery f rom October 1995 through September 1996 at Mott Children's Hospital we re reviewed retrospectively. Second, all patients who had intraoperati ve anaphylaxis attributable to latex sensitization, including those fr om three additional hospitals, were evaluated. Results: During a 12-mo nth period, 1,523 pediatric general surgical operations were performed at the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital. Of these, only 11 operations on five patients were performed under latex precautions. All of these pa tients had a preoperative diagnosis of latex sensitivity. During the s ame period, intraoperative anaphylactic reactions caused by latex alle rgy occurred in two of the general surgical patients (0.13%) at the C. S. Mott Hospital. Four additional cases are also reported from other s tudy hospitals. None of these patients were suspected, based on curren t screening methods, of having a latex allergy before their surgery. C onclusions: Latex allergy is a potentially life-threatening condition in the pediatric general surgical population. Further study is needed to develop criteria to preoperatively identify patients at risk for la tex sensitization. J Pediatr Surg 33:1108-1112. Copyright (C) 1998 by W.B. Saunders Company.