Mold deaths in OR's result in HEPA filtration at Seattle hospital

Paul Pollets

https://komonews.com/news/local/5-more-deaths-linked-to-mold-infections-at-seattle-childrens-hospital

SlamDunk

So preventable. My company certifies our hepas semiannually and replace them every three years. Some companies are more aggressive. Just depends on what youre trying to protect.

HomerJSmith

There is a fungal infection that is so virulent, plaguing hospitals that, it is impossible to remove, kill, or eliminate. Patients infected die and the whole room occupied by the infected patient need to be dismantled and destroyed. No known disinfecting agent. That's scary.

Paul Pollets

OR air treatment, heating and cooling were at risk for design shortcomings when research determined infections were more likely when distribution grills were above the patient in the center of the room. OR's with perimeter distribution had less infections in the patient. Killing 100% all molds is unlikely, but modern HEPA, UV treatment and carbon scrubbing should remove most of the pathogens. I'd like to know what's being installed.

HomerJSmith

Won't work with this fungus. It's worse than Prions.

Jolly Bodger

Construction and design might be allowing the issue, but maintenance has let is go on to long. This should have been caught and diagnosed by regular testing and maintenance.

Jolly Bodger

The fungus Aspergillus is everywhere and we are exposed to it all the time. it is only a problem for patients with compromised immune systems or getting introduced into the body in a manor that bypasses our natural defences. The rest of us kill it off all the time.

HomerJSmith

Aspergillus is bad, but this new fungus make Aspergillus look tame by comparison.

"This is why many medical laboratory professionals were surprised to see national news headlines recently about a particularly deadly new form of a pathogen. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been dealing with one particularly nasty example of Candida auris, or C. auris. This “superbug” fungus has been appearing in hospitals and healthcare clinics across the globe and it has killed people. "

Harold

There is at least one technology that has prospects of helping. My information may not be completely accurate. I have seen a video of a relatively small handheld unit being used in China. The Chinese manufacturer has developers working at a University in the US. Thing is this was maybe several years ago. I have tried to find out where the work is at that point. The test results I found seem to indicate they have a real handle on the process. It may not be ready for use because of needing more development or some other block (e.g., FDA).

It uses a specific frequency of UV. They were using an Ximer light source with the appropriate filters on the glass. Eximer lamps are expensive, bulky, relatively fragile, wear out, and use a lot of power and generate a lot of heat.

They changed frequencies a couple of times. Things seem to have settled on 222 nm. But I am not positive of what frequency won. I believe they are also working with a company to make a suitable solid state radiation source. That would be the best approach if it works out. Lower power requirements, light weight, easily portable.

What does it do. The radiation is harmless to humans. You can shine it into your eyes, your skin, your guts hanging out during surgery. It kills pretty much all of the harmful critters. I believe fungus is one of those critters.

Applications:

Testing was made in a normal OR plenum. I believe they got > 20% improvement in sterilization. Brought contaminates down to almost zero.

Advantages:

Clean room air.

Emitters at the surgery site. Including tools and materials brought into the OR. Including clothing and breathing.

Patient protection for most contaminant sources. Food delivery, nurses running in and out with non-sterile equipment, doctors looking in, cleaning people, other instruments and materials in the room.

OR's and hospitals need this. High priority. Then households, food preparation and processing (all those "safe" foods become actually safe). Public spaces (airplanes, buses, taxis, Grand Central Station, etc.). Here there is a different cost of use. The OR needs it: period. The rest have a more complicated application. Power, cost, extended radiation profile.

If you are curious, you might want to poke around and see what this could mean. It could become a revolution in medical processes; and the rest of the outside.

And no; I have no relation to these guys. Except for wanting the technology for a forcasted "remove all of you internal organs, carve new surfaces, spruce up the organs, carve away adhesions, and put them back" and hope that the current materials (best material from Europe (you know those backwards bastards) blocked by FDA when I looked) for defeating adhesion are adequate. Or, as the surgeon pointed out, die. I would really like to see this technology available when I need it. Which draws closer faster than this technology is likely to help me.