Why is it necessary to wipe sterile gloves with a sterile damp towel after donning the gloves and before touching items on the sterile field?

a. To warm up one's hands before starting the procedure
b. To maintain a time-honored tradition started by the glove manufacturers
c. To decrease the amount of contaminants already present on sterile gloves
d. To remove powder sometimes present on sterile gloves

ANS: D
Some brands of gloves are lubricated with an absorbable, dry cornstarch powder to facilitate donning. Removing the excess decreases the amount of loose powder in the air. This powder, if introduced into a wound, can cause starch granulomas, adhesions, or peritonitis. The removal of the powder should be done using a towel, or the gloves can be rinsed in sterile saline. They should not be immersed in a sterile basin of saline because the powder can clump and accumulate in the water and redeposit on the glove.