Hospital issues warning to surgical outpatients

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Leader Hospital (Canada) is notifying outpatients who underwent minor surgical procedures that they should be tested for blood-borne infections after being exposed to improperly sterilized medical equipment. “During the period of Jan. 1 to Aug. 13, the procedures for sterilizing medical instruments may not have been effective according to the standards of the health region,” Dr. Khami Chokani, medical health officer for the Cypress Health Region, said in a prepared statement. “While the risk of acquiring an infection from a potentially inadequately sterilized medical instrument is thought to be low particularly given the minimally invasive nature of the procedures, all patients who have had any minor surgical procedures completed during these time frames are being contacted and advised of the issues, and encouraged to be tested for certain illnesses which patients may have been exposed to.”