Belgian operating theatre nurses gather for annual congress
As you will read in detail elsewhere in this edition of InTouch, members of EORNA, the European umbrella organisation for operating theatre nurses, got together in April in Copenhagen. Locally, nurses have also been meeting in recent months to exchange their knowledge and experience, as well as to find out more about the latest developments in their field. For example, the end of March saw a meeting of the Flanders nursing association, the VVOV. Then, at the beginning of May, it was the turn of their counterparts in Wallonia, AFISO. Ansell attended both meetings.
Kiwi fruit, gloves and young skin
“Children in the operating theatre” was one of the central themes at the recent Congress of the Association of Flemish Operating Theatre Nurses (VVOV). At the invitation of Ansell, Gerda Lensen, nurse practitioner at the Medical University Centre in Groningen, The Netherlands, gave a presentation in which she expanded on the risks and prevention of latex allergy. Entirely in line with the overall theme of the VVOV Congress, Ms Lensen focused on one particularly important risk group: young children. Some 80 or so nurses attended the Ansell workshop.

‘Kiwi fruit, gloves and young skin’ was the interesting title of the Ansell presentation. Gerda Lensen began her address with an introduction: what is latex, what causes a latex allergy and how can nurses recognise such an allergy? In her talk, she underlined the fact that direct skin contact with latex products is not the only cause of allergy. Airborne latex protein can also cause damage. Powder-free latex gloves provide a first step in restricting the danger of allergy. However, this is not enough for some risk groups. For them, synthetic products are the only good method of prevention.

Synthetic gloves for children
During her presentation, Ms Lensen listed the groups who are at risk from latex allergy, alluding to the kiwi fruit featured in the title of her address: patients who are allergic to “tropical fruit”, including the kiwi, appear to be extremely sensitive to latex.
























One striking and yet quite large risk group for latex allergy are young children who are operated on frequently. Gerda Lensen presented the strategy proposed by Ansell to counter this problem: synthetic gloves are recommended for surgical procedures on children who undergo operations frequently.

Gammex® PF Isoderm®
At the Ansell-Hospithera stand, attendees were able to see, touch and try latex-free Ansell gloves that are ideal for operating on children: the Gammex® PF Isoderm® and the recently introduced Gammex® PF Isoderm® Sensitive gloves (see page 4), that are currently being promoted with the Isoderm cuddly rabbit.

Plenty of interest

The VVOV Congress 2009 welcomed 155 participants on Thursday 26 March and 390 on Friday 27 March. Success for the Congress chairperson, Mrs Monique Van Hiel. She put the Association firmly on the road to 2010 and even better care in Flemish operating theatres.

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