The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is looking into reports that some machines used to heat and cool blood during open heart surgery have been linked to a rare bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium chimaera. Certain machines may have been contaminated in the factory.
The CDC thinks the risk to patients who have had this surgery is less than 1 percent. Salem Health provides open heart surgery to 400 patients a year. We are not aware of any patients infected with this illness, so it is not likely Salem Health has one of these infected machines. However, we still want you to be informed.
Salem Health has three of these devices, all manufactured during the time identified to be at risk by the CDC and FDA. The FDA recommends hospitals with these devices transition away from them, but lifesaving surgical procedures should not be delayed.
Salem Health’s staff verified that all recommended cleaning instructions are being followed. Replacement machines are being sought. In the meantime, cardiac surgeons will provide additional informed consent with patients in need of this lifesaving surgery.
This infection grows very slowly and it is hard to detect. It cannot be spread person-to-person. However, it is possible to get sick up to four years after surgery. Signs can include:
If you have a patient with these symptoms who has had an open heart surgery, please call Infection Prevention at 503-814-2788.