latex protocol?

[Monty Python]

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At my main hospital, we do not take any extra medicinal precautions with latex allergy pts. We do use the latex-free circuit, bag, gloves, etc., and wrap the BP arm with kerlex so the BP tubing doesn't touch it.

Currently I'm at a military hospital pulling my two weeks of reservist active duty. Yesterday I had an otherwise-healthy lap chole, 32 years old, who works in the lab. Her hands occasionally itch when wearing latex gloves. No resp difficulties, no swelling, etc. Yet, the pre-op RN labeled her record and chart as "latex allergy" so now I had to follow this hospital's protocol, which included 50 mg benadryl and 50 mg zantac in preop holding room. I know it couldn't hurt (although I was wondering about the benadryl delaying her emergence) and since it's free healthcare here I didn't worry about her bill.

I was just wondering what other people at other places do or don't do medicinally for latex pts.

 

[jwk]

At my main hospital, we do not take any extra medicinal precautions with latex allergy pts. We do use the latex-free circuit, bag, gloves, etc., and wrap the BP arm with kerlex so the BP tubing doesn't touch it.

Currently I'm at a military hospital pulling my two weeks of reservist active duty. Yesterday I had an otherwise-healthy lap chole, 32 years old, who works in the lab. Her hands occasionally itch when wearing latex gloves. No resp difficulties, no swelling, etc. Yet, the pre-op RN labeled her record and chart as "latex allergy" so now I had to follow this hospital's protocol, which included 50 mg benadryl and 50 mg zantac in preop holding room. I know it couldn't hurt (although I was wondering about the benadryl delaying her emergence) and since it's free healthcare here I didn't worry about her bill.

I was just wondering what other people at other places do or don't do medicinally for latex pts.

A "latex-free protocol" should mean nothing with latex is used in the OR. It shouldn't have anything to do with giving any meds "just in case".

Our patients get labeled with a latex allergy if they're allergic to bananas, even if they have a great career making balloon animals. 🙂 There's a tremendous overuse of the term "latex allergy".

That being said, it's pretty easy and inexpensive to make your OR's latex-free. Just about everything we use is latex-free except for sterile gloves, and of course we have those in latex-free varieties as well. I thought most BP cuffs were already latex free, but I guess a few old ones still have rubber tubing. You'd think the government could afford a few new ones.

 

[UTSouthwestern]

One little thing to keep in mind is that the rubber stoppers on some of your medication bottles contain latex. If the patient has a history of anaphylaxis with latex contact, be sure to remove those little buggers. You can't be sure that puncturing them with a needle will not cause aspiration of a tiny fragment which you could then introduce intravenously into the patient.

 

[VentdependenT]

One little thing to keep in mind is that the rubber stoppers on some of your medication bottles contain latex. If the patient has a history of anaphylaxis with latex contact, be sure to remove those little buggers. You can't be sure that puncturing them with a needle will not cause aspiration of a tiny fragment which you could then introduce intravenously into the patient.

We have filtered needles for just that reason during "latex allergy" cases.