Latex allergy: perioperative management during anaesthesia and cardiac anaesthesia

The frequency of perioperative allergic responses to latex has markedly increased over the last 10 years. High risk groups to develop sensitivity to latex include healthcare workers, workers in the latex industry, children suffering from congenital malformations such as spina bifida or urogenital deformities and patients who have undergone multiple surgical procedures. During surgery, patients have contact to a variety of products containing latex.To prevent anaphylactic reactions, all hospitals have to develop strategies to identify and manage patients sensitised to latex or belonging to high risk groups.The aim of this paper is to describe safe perioperative management in a latex-free environment.