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Possible exposure to HIV and hepatitis for veterans who received colonoscopy in Miami VA hospital
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On Friday, March 27th the Miami Herald reported that the Miami V.A. Hospital may have exposed thousands of more patients to HIV and hepatitis due to improperly sterilized colonoscopy instruments.
Originally the Miami Veterans Hospital had given themselves a ‘clean bill of health’ in January, 2009. In December VA Hospitals nation-wide were alerted to problems associated with colonoscopy equipment and sterilization procedures and were requested to complete another comprehensive review in mid-March.
As a result of this additional review, it was discovered that the Miami VA Hospital’s colonoscopy instruments still were not being sterilized per manufacturers’ recommendations. Local members of congress were briefed and have expressed concerns about the hospital’s sterilization procedures and practices (colonoscopy tubing, pumps, reservoirs).
According to the Miami VA, as of Wednesday, March 25th 2009, they had received 4,300 calls, and about 912 patients had undergone testing. According to their report only 500 people were in the ‘at-risk’ pool of those receiving colonoscopies between May 2004 and March 12 [2009].
Additionally, 55 VA employees are in the risk pool of 3,260 people. The V.A. suggested that as many as 100 patients had previously been diagnosed with HIV before getting VA colonoscopies -- creating a slight chance that they could have inadvertently infected others.
Miami VA officials have assigned additional staff to the Special Care Call Center for Veterans [questions or to schedule testing]. Veterans should call 305-575-7256 or 877-575-7256.
Karen Estrada, MS ke@militaryhealthmatters.org
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