Process for producing medical devices having antimicrobial properties

摘要

A process for imparting enhanced antimicrobial properties to medical devices, and particularly surgical and examination gloves, and to such gloves produced by the process. The process involves partially forming the gloves by dipping glove molds into a latex composition, for example, and prior to curing or heating to final form, dipping the already coated forms into a second composition containing an antimicrobial agent, and thereafter curing or heat setting the finally produced glove prior to stripping from the form. Alternatively, the antimicrobial composition can be additionally or independently applied to a cured glove before stripping. The result is a glove which prevents, or decreases the potential of, cross-contamination between the glove users and patients because it will kill or reduce the susceptible microorganisms prior to or after penetration of the basic material forming the glove.