Nevada health officials announced on Friday that a statewide investigation of outpatient surgical centers found dangerous practices at four more clinics. State health officials pledged to inspect all 50 outpatient sites across Nevada after last month's investigation tying a hepatitis C outbreak to syringe and medication vial reuse at the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas. At least six ECSN patients were infected, and the state has warned 40,000 others who had procedures there to get screened for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.
By Friday, 18 other clinics had been inspected. Fines and citations for improper disease prevention techniques will be issued against three northern Nevada clinics and one Las Vegas clinic, said Mike Willden, state health division chief.
The state will cite the Gastrointestinal Diagnostic Center in Las Vegas for reusing syringes, said Willden, who could not say whether the center also reused vials. Clark County shut the clinic down Friday, pulling its business license quickly after the announcement.
The Digestive Health Center had problems sterilizing equipment, Willden said without elaborating. The infractions were "not even close" to those cited against ECSN, said Dr. Dennis Yamamoto, a partner at the center. The health of patients is not at risk, he said, adding, "They said don't do it, so we don't do it."
Inspectors found St. Mary's Surgery Center at Galena had a "lack of high-level disinfection or sterilization of instruments used between patients," Willden said. No known cases of infection resulted, and concerned patients should "contact their doctor for appropriate follow-up care or treatment," a St. Mary's statement noted.
In Carson City, a Sierra Center for Foot Surgery staff member reported syringes were reused. The clinic did not immediately respond for comment.
03/08/08
Nevada to Cite More Surgery Clinics for Unsafe Practices in Hepatitis C Investigation
Source: Associated Press:: Kathleen Hennessey; Courtesy of the CDC National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention