Operations cancelled after deaths
● NHS Lothian writes to 186 patients ● Planned operations are cancelled
Almost 200 patients who had heart surgery at a major Scottish hospital have been contacted over infection fears.
NHS Lothian has confirmed as many as five patients have died after contracting an infection at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.
Four planned surgeries have been cancelled this week as a precaution.
Several patients who underwent heart surgery have died after contracting an infection at a major Scottish hospital.
NHS Lothian has contacted 186 people who had heart aortic valve replacement operations at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh in the past six months to advise them of a possible infection risk.
The number of deaths is five or fewer, but the health board are not allowed to stipulate the exact number as the figure is too low and there is also a need to protect patient confidentially.
A number of hospitals across Scotland have been dealing with infections which have led to patients dying in recent months, including Glasgow’s Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, where a ten-year-old boy contracted the Cryptococcus infection, related to pigeon droppings.
The decision to contact the patients was taken by an incident management team which was convened following notification of an unusual case of heart valve infection, known as endocarditis.
The team conducted an
extensive review of the infection records of thousands of patients who had many different types of surgery carried out since the beginning of 2015. They found that six patients who underwent cardio thoracic surgery over a period of 18 months were affected by unusual infections caused by micro organisms commonly found in the environment. It is thought these may have been acquired during surgery. Of the small number of patients affected, some later died. No cases were found prior to March 2017 and there have been no known cases in patients operated on since November 2018.
As a precaution, however, four planned surgeries have been cancelled this week to allow for specialist cleaning and disinfection of the theatres used for this type of procedure at the Royal Infirmary.
NHS Lothian said enhanced infection control measures have also been put in place.
Prof Alex Mcmahon, NHS Lothian’s executive lead for infection control, said: “We extend our sincere apologies and deepest condolences to the families of the patients who died, all of whom were informed at the time of their treatment that they had an unusual and difficult-to-treat infection.
“We know this will be a worrying time for those who have received letters, but we have contacted patients purely as a precaution. The risk is very low and we do not anticipate any more cases. However, we know that it can take up to six months for these infections to materialise. Many patients receiving this type of surgery are already very ill and vulnerable to infection, so we place the highest importance on a stringent infection prevention and control regime.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said it was important affected patients followed NHS Lothian’s advice. Endocarditis occurs in 0.5 per cent of patients a year and can have many different causes. Usually the source is the patient’s own body.
“We know this will be a worrying time for those who have received letters, but we have contacted patients purely as a precaution”
PROF ALEX MCMAHON