Heart bypass surgery may be one of the most complicated undertakings in modern medicine. Successfully completing a bypass operation requires absolute perfection in every regard; from the skill of the surgeons, to the flawless functionality of the equipment used to keep the patient alive.
Unfortunately, while outward appearances can appear to show a successful operation, contaminated equipment can cause harm that takes time to develop. Days, weeks, and even months ...
continue reading...
The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a report concluding that 37,000 U.S. deaths from antibiotic resistant germs and an intestinal bug could have been prevented. The CDC says that the deaths, occurring over a five year period, could have been reduced through closer coordination between healthcare officials and public health departments.
Each year, antibiotic-resistant germs such as carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteria (CRE) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), ...
continue reading...
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a safety communication detailing additional measures for medical staff to follow when cleaning duodenoscopes. The agency encourages hospitals to follow supplemental guidelines, as well as adhere strictly to the manufacturer’s disinfection instructions.
Duodenoscopes are a type of medical device used in endoscopic surgery to help diagnose and treat gallstones, cancer, and other complications in the bile and pancreatic ...
continue reading...
A group of Chicago hospitals have succeeded in halving the number of infections caused by the deadly superbug involved in two recent Los Angeles outbreaks, Reuters reports. U.S. health officials have taken note of the success, and now want to replicate the results on a national scale. According to the article, the White House recently informed the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ...
A federal panel has concluded that the duodenoscopes involved in two Los Angeles “superbug” outbreaks are unsafe as designed. According to a Los Angeles Times article, the government is urging the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to do more to ensure patient safety.
The outbreaks occurred earlier this year after patients at two Los Angeles hospitals underwent procedures involving contaminated duodenoscopes. At the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical ...
continue reading...
A war is being waged in America. Parts of this war are likely being fought all around you but you are completely unaware of it. It’s not that you can’t hear it – there’s nothing to hear. It’s not that you can’t see it – there’s nothing to see; at least, not without a microscope.
The war is the constant struggle between antibiotics and the bacteria they are ...
continue reading...
