Twelve cardiac surgery patients at Children's Hospital in New Orleans contracted a rare surgical site infection linked to a contaminated heater cooler device, according to an article on The New Orleans Advocate website.
The infections were caused by mycobacterium abscessus bacteria, which are commonly found in soil, water and dust. The infected children were treated between early June and July.
An investigation linked the bacteria to a contaminated heater-cooler unit used in a single operating room, which the hospital has since replaced.
"This room has been terminally disinfected and our ongoing environmental surveillance of the operating rooms has not shown any contamination with the organism beyond the involved device," the hospital said in a statement.
Parking: Where the Outpatient Land Crunch Shows First
Clear Behavioral Health Opens New Outpatient Mental Health Center in Anaheim Hills
Bon Secours Begins Construction on Freestanding Emergency Department in Norfolk
The OR HVAC Puzzle: Why Individual Systems Are on the Rise
Skanska Completes Renovation of Specialized Care Facility for Sutter Health