WalesOnline : reported that Thousands of heart surgery patients in Wales may have contracted an infection

In Wales, patients will only receive letters if they received surgery at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff or in England. The Trust says some patients who received heart valve or repair surgery since January 1, 2013, including procedures due to congenital heart surgery, are at "low risk" of having contracted an infection called Mycobacterium chimaera. Could not subscribe, try again later Invalid EmailMore than 2,700 patients who underwent heart surgery have been contacted following fears they may have been contracted a serious infection. The other hospital in Wales providing heart surgery, Morriston Hospital in Swansea, does not use the make of device that has been linked to most cases to date. Three cases have been identified in patients in Wales, operated on in England and Wales.

2,700 Welsh heart surgery patients in infection alert

Credit: ITV Cymru Wales NewsMore than 2,700 patients in Wales may have contracted an infection during their heart surgery operations. The Welsh Conservatives have called on the Welsh Government to instigate screening for open-heart surgery patients potentially infected by a lethal bacteria. Patients who have had other types of open heart surgery have a very minimal risk of contracting this infection are not being proactively contacted. It said only those patients who have had heart valve replacement or valve repair surgery, including procedures as part of congenital heart disease surgery since January 2013 are being contacted. The patients may have been exposed to the infection when a specific kind of heater-cooler unit was used during operations.

3,000 Welsh patients in heart surgery infection alert

Nearly 3,000 Welsh patients who have undergone heart operations have been told they may have been exposed to an infection. Welsh patients will only receive letters if they received surgery at UHW in Cardiff, or in a cardiac centre in England. The alert has been issued across the UK, with concerned patients urged to contact Public Health Wales. Experts said the risk of contracting the Mycobacterium chimaera infection was "low risk". Patients who received surgery at Morriston Hospital in Swansea are being told that they are not at risk, as the equipment in question was not used there.


collected by :Lucy William
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VIRUSES and INFECTIONS