Halifax surgeries cancelled again after sterilization equipment issues

Dozens of elective surgeries were delayed Monday and Tuesday at the Halifax Infirmary after debris was discovered in sterilized equipment.

Karen Mumford, the senior director at the Queen Elizabeth ll Health Sciences Centre said, "We have no idea what the substance is or what it's made up of but it's fine black specks."

In total 167 operations have been delayed as the hospital deals with the issue, Mumford said.

The problem was first spotted on Saturday, April 11 and later became public when the first round of elective surgeries were cancelled.

Carole and Patrick Furlotte arrived at the QEII on Friday morning from Bridgewater. Patrick was hoping to be scheduled for heart surgery.

"He has to stay here because he needs the surgery to correct it but there's been absolutely no indication as to where or when or any time at all," Carole Furlotte said.

Some equipment at VG withdrawn

So far, Mumford said the problem is confined to equipment sterilized at the Halifax Infirmary but she said some plastic containers and linen wraps that hold equipment at the Victoria General Hospital have also been withdrawn because of unidentified stains.

The hospital is still working to find the problem and is waiting for test results expected sometime on Tuesday.

"We'll be able to do some analysis of the results to see what they indicate, if they can help us identify what the issue is," Mumford said.

Mumford is confident the problem was spotted before any questionable equipment was used on patients.

Staff at the Halifax Infirmary have reached out to other hospitals to extend equipment sterilization hours and is offering to send its own staff to help.

Mumford can't say when the delayed surgeries might be rescheduled because she said it has to go through the surgeon's office and it will depend on their availability.

The hospital will decide on Tuesday whether additional surgeries will need to be postponed.