Surgical Glove Woes

[AliAeluro]

Hi Everyone,

Not sure where to post this since it can cover several disciplines, however I suppose surgery is the most relevant.

I have my first surgery coming up in April and have run into a conundrum: I can't find surgical gloves small enough for my hands. I got told off for wearing gloves that were too big on me (fingers all had about 0.5 cm of dead space at the tips), but those were a size 5.5... I'm not sure what to do since my school doesn't supply size 5 and they would have to custom order a large quantity for just one person... I'm planning on pursuing a career in surgery so I will be needing many gloves in my future 🙂

tl;dr Does anyone wear a size 5 in sterile gloves? If so, what supplier do you use?

Thank you!

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[dpmd]

Hi Everyone,

Not sure where to post this since it can cover several disciplines, however I suppose surgery is the most relevant.

I have my first surgery coming up in April and have run into a conundrum: I can't find surgical gloves small enough for my hands. I got told off for wearing gloves that were too big on me (fingers all had about 0.5 cm of dead space at the tips), but those were a size 5.5... I'm not sure what to do since my school doesn't supply size 5 and they would have to custom order a large quantity for just one person... I'm planning on pursuing a career in surgery so I will be needing many gloves in my future 🙂

tl;dr Does anyone wear a size 5 in sterile gloves? If so, what supplier do you use?

Thank you!

Have you tried two pairs of the 5.5 gloves? Might snug things up enough to work. That or try different types of gloves (assuming they have more than one type of 5.5 available). If neither works you can ask if they can order a box and keep it somewhere you can access for all rotations requiring use of sterile gloves.

 

[doc05]

Have them order a box for you. It's not that big a deal.

 

[Winged Scapula]

Your profile says you're a veterinary student; not sure if that's accurate.

However, you aren't the first one to have very small hands. As @dpmd notes, you can wear two pairs of 5 1/2s or just have them order a box. For medical students, its not that big of a deal and this is NOT YOUR problem to deal with. Let them know in advance and have the department/OR staff solve it.

 

[dpmd]

Your profile says you're a veterinary student; not sure if that's accurate.

However, you aren't the first one to have very small hands. As @dpmd notes, you can wear two pairs of 5 1/2s or just have them order a box. For medical students, its not that big of a deal and this is NOT YOUR problem to deal with. Let them know in advance and have the department/OR staff solve it.

The vetties do surgery too so might be accurate. It might mean the school could be more likely to say "too bad, your problem" but always worth asking (and if they say no then trying to double gloves first because you don't want to pay for your own gloves)

 

[Winged Scapula]

The vetties do surgery too so might be accurate. It might mean the school could be more likely to say "too bad, your problem" but always worth asking (and if they say no then trying to double gloves first because you don't want to pay for your own gloves)

Yes, I should have clarified more.

My point was that for Medical Students, its the schools problem and they shouldn't worry.

If they're a vet student, then they should really ask in the Vet forum because we don't know if they'll be helpful or "too bad so sad" type of attitude.

 

[AliAeluro]

Thank you for your replies - I'll look into double gloving as a potential and I'll try out the different brands we carry in the OR; perhaps non-latex will be smaller?

Yes, I am a vet student, but I posted here since I thought that the potential for someone in the same situation (or have a solution) would be higher here than in the vet group (not as many boarded surgeons I'm assuming). I didn't mean for it to be an issue since it's really the question of whether anyone has access to/uses size 5 gloves (I'll need them when I'm out of school and practicing as well). I apologize for any confusion and for posting in the MD section if that's frowned upon. Thank you for replying though.

 

[dpmd]

Thank you for your replies - I'll look into double gloving as a potential and I'll try out the different brands we carry in the OR; perhaps non-latex will be smaller?

Yes, I am a vet student, but I posted here since I thought that the potential for someone in the same situation (or have a solution) would be higher here than in the vet group (not as many boarded surgeons I'm assuming). I didn't mean for it to be an issue since it's really the question of whether anyone has access to/uses size 5 gloves (I'll need them when I'm out of school and practicing as well). I apologize for any confusion and for posting in the MD section if that's frowned upon. Thank you for replying though.

I think it is fine that you posted here, just means we can't predict how accommodating your school might be. Definitely worth asking. As for which particular brand I am afraid that might not be answered well in either forum since the number of people with such small hands is likely not high and they probably just take whatever brand someone else orders, but as someone with slender fingers and wrists I have liked the fit of biogel (not sure which particular kind) and protexis Ortho gloves (though I really liked the old black latex version that we can't get anymore).

 

[TraumaLlamaMD]

I’ve never seen size 5 stocked in the hospital before. That said, it certainly can’t hurt to ask someone at your school, or if you happen to know the person who orders supplies for the OR, you may be able to get a special box ordered for you. Speaking from experience!

 

[Jolie South]

I think it is fine that you posted here, just means we can't predict how accommodating your school might be. Definitely worth asking. As for which particular brand I am afraid that might not be answered well in either forum since the number of people with such small hands is likely not high and they probably just take whatever brand someone else orders, but as someone with slender fingers and wrists I have liked the fit of biogel (not sure which particular kind) and protexis Ortho gloves (though I really liked the old black latex version that we can't get anymore).

I wear size 6 and I think Biogel “greens” are the best. Fingers are shortest and fit the best.

 

[ThoracicGuy]

I just did a search of several glove manufacturers websites and I can't find a single one that makes a size 5 glove. I think trying to double up with 2 size 5.5s might be the best option.

 

[dpmd]

I wear size 6 and I think Biogel “greens” are the best. Fingers are shortest and fit the best.

In an ideal world I would wear a 6 and a quarter glove but alas I have to make do with what exists.

 

[Jolie South]

In an ideal world I would wear a 6 and a quarter glove but alas I have to make do with what exists.

6 is not ideal for me but it’s better than 6.5. I definitely have the webbed fingers going on with a 6. I find that better than excess in the tips.

 

[Smurfette]

Size 5 gloves exist but are hard to come by and only have a few manufacturers. I think most reps will refer to them as "prototype gloves" since I've heard that from a couple different glove reps when they've struggled to find gloves that fit me.

OP, I have always had similar issues. You have to trial different brands and figure out if the problem is your finger length or palm/wrist size. If your palms are swimming in a 5.5 or 6, you do need a 5. If it's your finger length, some brands are shorter than others and you'll have to experiment. The problem as a student is that they don't have a ton of small size gloves to try sitting around in the hospital inventory.

I have ongoing struggles to have gloves that fit every time one of my hospitals changes glove contracts. I have short fingers but not tiny palms. Latex-free 5.5s tend to swell and are too long for me. Medline gloves are all too long in the fingertips for me and I know quite a few people who went down .5 glove size when the hospital switched to those from whatever it was before. Biogel 6 works well for me, strangely enough, as the fingers are short enough for me and rarely change much in size throughout a case. There are different "lines" of Biogel and I know the green and gray (latex free?) packages are better on me than the orthos or micros. 5.5 Biogels also fit me but are slightly tight at the wrist. I rarely double glove because I can't find a comfortable combination.

 

[kitsunepixie]

I always double glove 6s because I can never find 5.5.

 

[ArmCandy]

Can you speak to the OR manager in your system? Have them order you a box and keep your name on it.

 

[Moose A Moose]

They can order them special if you inquire early enough. The end.