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80 surgeries to date postponed at Pasqua due to sterilization issue

A total of 80 surgeries plus 22 procedures have been postponed at the Pasqua Hospital .
A total of 80 surgeries plus 22 procedures have been postponed at the Pasqua Hospital . Global News/ File photo

REGINA – Surgeries at the Pasqua Hospital continue to be postponed as health officials try to pinpoint the cause behind a sterilization issue.

The Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region (RQHR) began cancelling surgeries last Wednesday after a discolouration was found on the packaging containing the surgical tools.

Since then, a total of 80 surgeries plus 22 procedures have been pushed to a later date and emergency surgeries are being moved to the General Hospital.

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“Some staff have volunteered to work out of the General so they’ve extended some hours there and they’ve basically been able to keep abreast of that,” said Keith Dewar, RQHR President and CEO. “But we are starting to find some capacity issues at the General because they’re doing all the surgical work and also have medicine patients there as well.”

As of Monday afternoon, health officials were unable to confirm how many surgeries have had to be moved to the General Hospital.

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The RQHR is looking into whether the problem stems from the sterilization equipment, the process or even the linens that are used.

Dewar said the task team has determined that certain surgical tool packages are more prone to the discolouration than others.

Surgeries at the Pasqua have been postponed for at least the remainder of the week.

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