The agency recommended that patient undergone open heart surgery should take medical care, if they are experiencing symptoms associated with infection such as night sweats, muscle aches, weight loss, fatigue, or unexplained fever.
The CDC advised patients based on new information indicating that some LivaNova Stöckert 3T heater-cooler devices used during multiple surgeries are expected to be contaminated during manufacturing.
Heater-cooler units will enable to keep patient’s circulating blood and organs at a specific temperature during the procedure.
According to CDC, around 60% of heart bypass procedures carried out in the US use the devices that were associated with these infections.
The CDC has also reported that patients who had valves or prosthetic products implanted are at higher risk of these infections.
Initially, the US Food and Drug Administration and CDC information and alerts about potentially contaminated heater-cooler devices in the last year.
CDC healthcare quality promotion division deputy director Dr Michael Bell said: “It’s important for clinicians and their patients to be aware of this risk so that patients can be evaluated and treated quickly.
“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.”
