CDC: possible contamination of open-heart surgery devices

(HealthDay)—Some LivaNova PLC (formerly Sorin Group Deutschland GmbH) Stockert 3T heater-cooler devices might have been contaminated with Mycobacterium chimaera during manufacturing, according to a press release from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Patients who have had open-heart surgery should seek medical care if they have infection-related symptoms, such as night sweats, muscle aches, weight loss, fatigue, or unexplained fever, the CDC said in the news release. The agency also said that hospitals and doctors should identify and inform patients who might have been put at risk.

Current information suggests that patients who had valves or prosthetic products implanted have a higher risk of infection.

"It's important for clinicians and their patients to be aware of this risk so that patients can be evaluated and treated quickly," Michael Bell, M.D., deputy director of the CDC's Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion, said in a statement. "Hospitals should check to see which type of heater-coolers are in use, ensure that they're maintained according to the latest manufacturer instructions, and alert affected patients and the clinicians who care for them."