Surgical tools washed in hydraulic fluid
Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2005 6:55 am
The next time you go under the knife, you might want to make sure they wash their medical tools correctly...
Source: CNN Health
Wow, I can't believe that!RALEIGH, North Carolina (AP) -- About 3,800 patients at two hospitals run by Duke University Health System were operated on last year with instruments that were washed in hydraulic fluid instead of detergent, hospital regulators said.
The mix-up apparently occurred when an elevator company drained hydraulic fluid into empty detergent barrels last summer. The detergent supplier later picked up the barrels and mistakenly redistributed them as washing fluid.
Dozens of patients who were exposed to the surgical instruments have reported lingering health concerns ranging from fatigue and joint pain to problems requiring hospitalization, the The (Raleigh) News & Observer reported Sunday.
Source: CNN Health
