Hundreds of patients are being asked to get tested for hepatitis B and C, as well as HIV, due to the potential exposure by an anesthesiologist.

Hundreds of patients are being asked to get tested for hepatitis B and C, as well as HIV, due to the potential exposure by an anesthesiologist.

Thousands of patients who were treated at two hospitals in Portland, Oregon, are being told to get bloods tests because of an “infection control breach” linked to an anesthesiologist that may have exposed them to HIV and hepatitis B and C.

About 2,400 people who were patients of two health care providers — Providence and Legacy Health — are potentially affected and have been advised to take tests “out of an abundance of caution.”

Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center in Oregon City said in a statement that about 2,200 of its patients, and two patients at Providence Portland Medical Center, have been informed.

  • @ClockworkOtterEnglish
    2•2 months ago

    I’m trying to think what it could be. Maybe they worked between patients without washing their hands?

    • @stolyEnglish
      1•2 months ago

      Someone reused some piece of equipment. My guess.

    • @[email protected]English
      1•2 months ago

      Not enough for a breach like that.

      From my point of view:

      • Reused needles/syringes to draw up medication and then applied it.
      • Used medication bottles (e.g. propofol) for multiple patients.(I still learned to do that,but in theory there is a risk. Looking back I can’t fathom we once did that)
      • Used private laryngoscope for patients and did not clean it properly (my best guess atm)
      • Has HIV+Hep himself and used some unsafe techniques that may have led to skin penetration on his side.

      Or of course…well…a bad faith actor who intentionally infected people.