Noteboom The Law Firm

VA Investigation Into Contaminated Surgical Equipment Reveals Little

March 4, 2011 - The John Cochran Division of the St. Louis Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center's surgical unit was shut down following the discovery of improperly cleaned and/or contaminated medical equipment. The shut-down was sparked by the discovery of some spots or stains on what was supposed to be a sterilized tray. To date, the VA is still in the dark as to what those spots were and where they came from, and surgeries are still on hold.

Two weeks ago the VA allowed certain media personnel to tour their surgical and dental facilities alongside a team of experts. Aside from John Cochran's Medical Director, Surgery Chief, and Chief Engineer, the tour was attended by national VA representatives as well as an independent sterilization consultant. This is at least the third sterilization consulting group to have been involved with this investigation yet no answers as to the mysterious stains have been given.

What is known, according to John Cochran's Medical Director, Rima Nelson, is that the stains are neither blood nor bodily fluids "that would put any of our patients' safety at risk of infection". For some, this news comes as a welcome relief, but don't breathe that collective sigh just yet. She didn't say it wasn't blood or bodily fluids, only that they weren't blood or bodily fluids that could hurt veterans. 

Without any answers, the investigation has turned to looking into looking at the metals and possible chemical reactions. To date, the VA has installed steam filters, cleaned everything in the hospital and had the sterilizers specially washed. Their investigation has tested:

• The water;
• The team itself;
• The instruments;
• The processes themselves;
• The washers;
• The sterilizer;
• The quality of the steam;
• The wipes;
• The instrument panels;
• The chemicals; and
• All supplies.

The investigation has produced nothing that can be shown to be hazardous to any patient. The VA, however, cannot resume any surgical operations until the cause of these stains is determined. According to John Cochran's Surgery Chief, the worst part of this entire thing is losing the trust of their patients.