Light parts fall in patient

Hospital replaces theatre gear after mishap

GOLD Coast University Hospital has had to put plastic covers over its surgical theatre lights after metal shards fell on a patient on an operating table.

Staff say several safety complaints were made after it was discovered steel fell on a patient and a surgeon, and they believe some of the 16 theatres should be closed.

An internal safety investigation has been launched and replacement arms for all theatre lights have been ordered from the US.

“There was a patient in theatre 12 who had steel fragment fall into a wound and on to the surgeon. The surgeon had to rescrub,” the worker said.

“This has been escalated through various (safety) channels. It’s an horrendous situation. It is putting the safety of patients at risk. We are sup- posed to be here to protect our patients and look after them.”

Gold Coast Health declined to comment on the incident involving the patient and surgeon but management remains confident measures are in place to protect patients.

A spokesperson said staff were working with the manufacturer of theatre lights used in operating theatres at the hospital after staff identified a deterioration in the metal arm of two lights.

“The stop mechanism failed, resulting in the lights rotating beyond their design,” the spokesperson said. “Small metal particles were detected falling from the arm of one light, which was immediately reported through our standard health and safety reporting processes.

“As soon as the fault was detected, all operating theatre lights were checked and cleaned.

“With patient safety at the heart of all we do, our infection control area endorsed adding sterile plastic covers to the lights as an additional safeguard to mitigate the very low risk that the fault could impact patients.”

The spokesperson said the replacement arms for all theatre lights had arrived in Australia this week.

“Provided they clear Customs this weekend, all lights will be fitted with a new arm outside of hours next week to ensure no impact on theatre sessions,” the spokesperson said.

“Our staff will continue to monitor the performance of the lights. The fault was immediately reported to the Therapeutic Goods Administration to ensure that other hospitals with this brand of lights could be warned of potential deterioration.”