Surgical, Dental Tools Sterilized Improperly

Fri Mar 18, 1:24 AM ET

Nearly 60 dental and surgical patients treated March 1 at the Veteran's
Administration San Diego Healthcare System in La Jolla will receive
notices
Thursday warning that tools possibly used in their care were not fully
sterilized.

The veterans are being asked to return to the medical center for
testing
for viral and bacterial infections, according to The San Diego
Union-Tribune. They might also be vaccinated against hepatitis.

Dr. David Looney, a VA infectious disease specialist, told the
newspaper
that he doubts any patient was infected, saying the risk is minimal.

An incorrect process called gravity displacement was used to sterilize
several packages of surgical and dental tools late Feb. 28 or early
March
1, the Union-Tribune reported.

When gravity displacement is used, it takes longer for temperatures to
rise
to the level needed to kill germs, Looney told the newspaper.

As a safety check, the medical center attaches a bacterial indicator on
the
outside of each package. The indicator should show that all the
bacteria
have been killed.

It did so for the first 24 hours after the Feb. 28 or March 1
sterilization, but after 48 hours, the indicator turned positive,
signaling
that some bacteria were still living, Looney told the Union-Tribune.

So far, the center confirmed that the tools were used on two surgical
patients. They might also have been used on one of seven other surgical
patients and any of 49 dental patients treated March 1.

"If by chance you were infected as a result of this occurrence, the VA
will
provide all necessary and appropriate care required," hospital director
Gary Rossio wrote in Thursday's notice.

The hospital is conducting an internal investigation. The medical
center's
staff was retrained and the gravity displacement option was
deactivated.




Sandra Tara Balduf (Ane)

Frontline Hepatitis Awareness

Support for patients and educational materials

http://frontline-hepatitis-awareness.com

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