Dirty surgical equipment may have been used on 12,000 pediatric patients

Seattle hospital advises those who visited surgery center to get tested for hepatitis, HIV


Seattle Children's Hospital advised those who visited its surgery center to get tested for hepatitis and HIV after revealing that dirty surgical equipment may have been used on 12,000 pediatric patients, according to an article on the Outpatient Surgery website.

Up to 12,000 patients may have been exposed to bloodborne pathogens since 2010, the hospital said after discovering its surgery center was reprocessing equipment incorrectly.

The errors occurred during the manual washing of instruments, the hospital said. This is the second time in just over a year that the Seattle Children's Hospital had a problem with reprocessing equipment.  

In January 2014 officials warned around 100 patients that a dirty colonoscope might have been used in their procedure. 

Read the article.

 



September 1, 2015


Topic Area: Safety


Recent Posts

Texas Law Limits Backup Power Mandates for Senior Care Facilities

As Texas relaxes generator mandates, healthcare facility managers now face tough decisions about emergency power investments and resident safety.


Cyber Crossfire: Why Healthcare Is Becoming a Battleground in Global Conflicts

As geopolitical tensions escalate, hospitals and critical suppliers are increasingly targeted in cyberattacks.


UPMC Presbyterian Receives $65 Million Gift for New Bed Tower

The tower is projected to open for patient care in early 2027.


Premier Health Partners Falls Victim to Cyber Incident

The incident occurred in July 2023.


Backup Power's Expanding Role in Emergency Preparedness for Healthcare

Manufacturers discuss design strategies, code shifts and lessons learned from real-world disasters.


 
 


FREE Newsletter Signup Form

News & Updates | Webcast Alerts
Building Technologies | & More!

 
 
 


All fields are required. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.