Infection in heart patients linked to surgical device, health officials say.
CNN reported that individuals “who have undergone open heart surgeries since 2012 may be at risk of a life-threatening infection linked to a medical device used during their operations, health officials warned” last week. So far, “the CDC has confirmed infections in 28 heart surgery patients in the US.” However, Dr. Vinod Thourani, co-chair of the American College of Cardiology’s surgeon’s council, said, “The overall risk is exceedingly low.”
According to ACC.org, the FDA “updated its Safety Communication notice from June 1, 2016, regarding the use of Stockert 3T Heater-Cooler System by LivaNova PLC to reflect increased concerns regarding the potential for infection from these machines.”
