Latex allergy in pediatric surgery is dependent on repeated operations in the first year of life.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Patients with spina bifida represent the highest risk group for hypersensitivity to latex. Recognized risk factors for these patients are repeated surgery and an atopic disposition. Little is known about children operated on in the first year of life for reasons other than spina bifida.

METHODS

Eighty-six patients (mean age, 10.2 years) with gastrointestinal or urologic surgery were investigated for the number, type, and date of surgical interventions. Additionally, skin prick tests and provocation tests were performed to classify sensitized and symptomatic latex-allergic individuals.

RESULTS

Twenty-seven patients were regarded as sensitized to latex (31.4%). Twenty patients were classified as being atopic (25.6%). Atopic patients were significantly more often sensitized and provocation positive compared with nonsensitized and provocation-negative ones (P <.01). Children already operated on in the first year of life (n = 44) with a positive provocation showed significantly higher latex-specific IgE-values than individuals with a negative outcome (P <.0001). The total number of operations and degree of sensitization showed a significant correlation; more than 8 surgical interventions during the first year of life significantly increased the risk of clinically relevant allergy to latex.

CONCLUSION

This study emphasizes that individuals undergoing surgical interventions during infancy should be handled latex free from the very beginning of life.