LETHBRIDGE – Surgeries are expected to return to a normal schedule by Monday at Chinook Regional Hospital after a dark residue was found on some surgical tools.
The residue was found Wednesday following cleaning and sterilization of surgical equipment used in operating rooms and day procedures.
Alberta Health Services says an extensive investigation has now determined the residue was caused by a stainless steel polishing product routinely used in the cleaning and sterilization process.
Dr. Karin Goodison, Medical Officer of Health for AHS South Zone says the product is approved and poses no risk to patients.
“Patient safety is always our uppermost concern. We exercised caution in our approach to this matter until we were certain there was no risk.”
In a press release AHS says the hospital will “modify” their use of the polishing agent.
112 surgeries, day procedures and other medical procedures have been postponed since then, including 55 postponements Friday.
“We want to apologize again to our patients and their families, and assure them we are working with their physicians to expedite rescheduling their surgeries and procedures,” says Sean Chilton, Chief Zone Officer for AHS South Zone.
Emergency and urgent surgeries are being accommodated using equipment sterilized at other sites, including Medicine Hat, Calgary and Cardston.
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