We are developing a fundamentally new, puncture-resistant surgical glove. There are over 350,000 needlestick injuries each year in the USA.  These injuries expose doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers to potential infection from bloodborne pathogens like HIV and Hepatitis B and C.  Sharps injuries generate over $1 billion annually in preventable costs to the US healthcare system through blood testing following a needlestick, post-exposure prophylaxis drugs, lost work, worker’s compensation and litigation.  Needlesticks also inflict an unquantifiable mental and emotional toll on healthcare workers, who face significant fear and uncertainty about the consequences of a needlestick injury and potentially contracting HIV or hepatitis. There is a particularly high risk of needlestick injury in the operating room, however conventional latex surgical gloves offer no significant resistance to needle puncture.   Existing needle-resistant materials are far too stiff and bulky to offer the required dexterity and tactility needed to successfully complete surgery.   There is currently no needle-resistant glove option in the $1.4 billion surgical glove market.

This STTR project successfully developed a new, needle-resistant surgical glove by incorporating STF-Armor^TM materials within a biological fluid-resistant latex (or synthetic latex) glove.  STF-Armor^TM is a composite material consisting of a thin and flexible knit fabric treated with shear thickening fluid.  Shear thickening fluid is an engineered “smart” material that behaves like a fluid at low deformation rates but behaves like a solid at high rates or local stress (such as when the tip of a needle impacts the material).  When shear thickening fluid is added to an appropriate textile, the puncture resistance can be enhanced substantially with no effect on the flexibility.  Different fluid and textile combinations were tested against a wide range of needles commonly found in surgery in order to develop an STF-Armor^TM composite that provides the highest possible levels of puncture resistance and flexibility.  Further, the project investigated multiple means for assembling/integrating the STF-Armor^TM into a surgical glove. A scalable production method that is consistent with current glove manufacturing practices was successfully developed and demonstrated at lab-scale. 

The glove design and comfort was validated through hands-on evaluations in which nurses performed simulated patient care activities while wearing the prototype STF-Armor^TM gloves.  The nurses judged that the gloves offered adequate dexterity and tactile sensitivity for patient care activities.  Quantitative testing of tactility showed that the STF-Armor^TM gloves offered a level of sensitivity comparable to current surgical glove products. Additionally, the nurse evaluations confirmed that needlesticks are viewed as a significant problem and that healthcare workers are willing to use a slightly thicker glove that offers more protection. 

The work completed under this STTR Phase I met our overall goal of advancing commercialization of the  first puncture resistant gloves suitable for surgeons and other medical professionals through successful proof-of-concept demonstration of prototype gloves, initial demonstration of a scalable manufacturing process, and confirmation that the glove addresses a true need for needlestick protection while also offering the fit, feel and comfort necessary for healthcare workers to do their jobs effectively.

Last Modified: 09/03/2015
Modified by: Richard D Dombrowski