At least 21,000 patients who have had heart surgeries and heart or lung transplant surgeries in B.C. in the last five years are being warned of the risk of infection.
The warning from B.C.’s cardiac centres comes after Health Canada found a low infection risk with a machine used in heart-lung bypass surgeries to warm and cool blood during the procedures.
The machine is considered essential to performing open-heart surgery and is used in hospitals throughout North America. In cases where patients have been diagnosed with a rare infection after heart, heart or lung transplant surgery, it was found to be caused by a type of bacteria, Mycobacterium chimaera, which was traced back to the water tank in the heater-cooler device.
READ MORE: 11,500 Alberta open-heart surgery patients potentially exposed to bacteria
According to the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA), the chance of getting this infection is extremely low and currently, there have only been two confirmed cases in Canada, both in Quebec.
The PHSA said in a written statement they are not aware of any patients in B.C. who have had this infection as a result of their surgery but that the BC Centre for Disease Control is continuing to investigate.
This particular strain of bacteria grows very slowly and signs of infection may not appear for many months or years. In cases where the infection was linked to these types of surgery, the signs appeared from three months to up to five years post-operation.
Mycobacterium chimaera is commonly found in water and soil, and is typically not harmful to healthy people. However infection is more likely in people with weakened immune systems. Infection from this strain of bacteria, which cannot be spread from person-to-person, can be treated with antibiotics.
Patients who have had heart, heart or lung transplant surgery in B.C. since Jan. 1, 2011, will receive a letter from Cardiac Services BC and B.C.’s cardiac centres to let them know the possible risk. The machines are only used in the following B.C. hospitals: Vancouver General, St. Paul’s, BC Children’s, Royal Columbian, Kelowna General and Royal Jubilee.
A similar warning was issued in Saskatoon to more than 2,100 people in early December and about 11,500 patients who underwent open-heart surgery in Alberta. Both instances were due to the same heater-cooler units impacting B.C. transplant and heart surgery patients.
What can patients do?
Patients who feel well do not need to do anything.
For those patients who have any combination of the following should see their doctor:
- Extremely tired all the time (fatigue).
- Weight loss.
- Unexplained fever or chills or shortness of breath.
Patients who have questions or concerns can call HealthLink BC at 8-1-1; patients outside of B.C. can reach HealthLink BC by calling 604-215-8110.
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