Mölnlycke Health Care US announced today the launch of a new surgical glove range designed to reduce clinician hand exposure to scattered radiation during fluoroscopy-guided, interventional and other image-dependent procedures. The company’s Biogel radiation protection gloves combine radiation attenuation with the dexterity expected from a Biogel surgical glove, as stated in a press release.
Surgeons’ hands are the “most exposed yet least protected” area during radiation-guided procedures, Mölnlycke claims—also noting that, in some settings, hand exposure has been found to be nearly 1,000 times higher than exposure to other parts of the body. However, while lead aprons and shields are worn in 99% of cases, radiation-attenuating gloves are used in only 10% of applicable procedures, the company’s recent release adds.
Radiation exposure, Mölnlycke also states, is “cumulative and often invisible at first”, and—over time—can lead to skin and nail damage, deeper tissue injury, impaired hand function, and an elevated long-term cancer risk. In one clinical survey cited by the company, 31% of surgeons reported dermatologist-diagnosed, radiation-induced skin injury to their hands.
However, recent research also indicates that radiation-attenuating gloves can reduce hand radiation exposure by 58–80%—depending on glove composition and procedural conditions.
“Radiation safety protocols have advanced in many areas, but hand protection has remained a clear blind spot for many of my colleagues,” commented Ashish Sahai (Spine and Orthopedic Center, Boca Raton, USA). “Surgeons’ hands may receive dramatically higher exposure than the rest of the body; yet, protection still lags far behind lead aprons and thyroid shields. Our hands are our most valuable asset, and these new gloves offer an option for wearing radiation protection while preserving the dexterity and tactile sensitivity modern surgery demands. Surgeons should never have to choose between protecting themselves and performing at their best for the patient.”
Unlike traditional radiation gloves, the Biogel radiation protection range combines a proprietary tungsten and polyisoprene formulation with “the fit, comfort and tactile sensitivity expected from a Biogel surgical glove”—according to Mölnlycke. This newly launched range is fully US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k)-cleared for direct patient contact, and is intended for surgeons and clinicians working in environments where radiation exposure to the hands is a routine element of care delivery.
