The lawsuit comes roughly a year after hospital officials found a sterilization breach occurred at the hospital between July 21, 2016, and Feb. 20, 2018.
Complaints include one patient who had seven knee surgeries due to necrotic tissue and an infection he developed after surgery at Porter Adventist in 2017. The bacteria included a particular type usually found in a pregnant woman’s vagina or rectum. Another patient died after developing an infection, sepsis and other complications from surgery on his femur and hip.
The patients’ attorneys say cases are pending for three other patients and a spouse.
Porter Adventist shared the following statement with Becker’s:
“We acknowledge the concern of these patients and are aware of existing lawsuits stemming from a review by [the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment] of the pre-cleaning process of surgical instruments prior to sterilization, which was identified in February 2018,” a spokesperson said. “To protect the privacy [of] all involved, we will be addressing this matter through the legal process, which is underway. As an outcome of the CDPHE investigation, we continue to provide reports to CDPHE that confirm Porter Adventist Hospital continues to meet the sterilization process guidelines of CDPHE.”
Editor’s note: This article was updated June 17 at 12:20 p.m to include a statement from Porter Adventist Hospital.
More articles on clinical leadership and infection control:
2 dead in Uganda as Ebola spreads beyond the Congo
New York removes religious exemptions for vaccinations
Digital marketer bans anti-vaccination content, shuts down some user accounts
At the Becker's 11th Annual IT + Revenue Cycle Conference: The Future of AI & Digital Health, taking place September 14–17 in Chicago, healthcare executives and digital leaders from across the country will come together to explore how AI, interoperability, cybersecurity, and revenue cycle innovation are transforming care delivery, strengthening financial performance, and driving the next era of digital health. Apply for complimentary registration now.