Ladybugs in the operating room

Eric Yvan Lemay

Tuesday, February 20, 2018 01:00

UPDATE
Tuesday, February 20, 2018 01:00

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The problem of infiltration of insects is far from being resolved at the Charles-LeMoyne Hospital, despite the claims of management. A video disturbing shows a lady beetle that has recently been emerging through the scalpels during a surgical procedure.

The incident occurred on November 3, last. On the video obtained by our Bureau of investigation, one can see the insect walk through the surgical instruments on the table located a few centimeters from the patient. This equipment, like all equipment used to operate, must be absolutely sterile. The staff has had to take a metal bowl to catch the insect.

The situation is far from isolated in this hospital located in Greenfield Park, on Montreal South Shore. Only in November and December 2017, the staff has counted two ladybugs, three ants, two flies and a fruit fly in the operating room, according to an internal report which we have obtained a copy (see page 2).

In one case, the ant walking on the gown sterile surgeon’s at the beginning of the operation. Insects were observed 34 times since 2016.

Expensive work

According to management, the hospital has invested $ 700,000 in funding from 2016 to try to come to grips with the problems of infiltrations, insects and excessive moisture, but nothing seems to do (see another text). Some worry that the situation becomes problematic with the return of warmer weather.

Yet, last September, the management had argued that the problem was solved after the revelations of our survey on the presence of insects and even a mouse.

“In the last month, all the checks have shown that it had resolved the problem “, assured the director of professional services, Dr. Jean Rodrigue, in a radio interview on 98.5.

Nest in the ceiling

The events of recent months have proved the opposite. Fed up, thirty surgeons and anaesthetists are addressed to the minister of Health, Gaétan Barrette, in a letter sent at the beginning of the month of February.

They call for emergency work to rebuild the operating theatre.

“We have a duty to ensure that our patients are operated under adequate sanitary conditions so as not to impair their state of health. In this regard, we do not tolerate flies, ladybugs, or humidity levels that are significantly above and beyond the standards in these rooms, ” one can read.

According to the document, the authorities of the hospital are aware that various critters have made their nest in the ceiling of the operating theatre because of the obsolescence of the facilities.

An undesirable visitor

Photo courtesy

During a surgical procedure on November 3, a staff member noticed a ladybug under the medical equipment around the operating table.

Photo courtesy

The camera turns to the right and we see the patient under anesthesia with an open wound.

Photo courtesy

The camera comes back to the left. The insect red wanders blithely in the middle of the surgical instruments.

Photo courtesy

Someone managed then to catch the bug, using a bowl that is usually used to put some sterile fluids, such as saline water.

Problem solved, really ?

September 13, 2017

• Dr. Jean Rodrigue, director of professional services of the hospital, said that the problems of infiltration of insects have been settled.

October 23, 2017

• The presence of two beetles and a fly living in the room.

November 3, 2017

• A ladybug found alive on the operating table on instruments.

4 December 2017

• A fly has been seen flying from the ceiling of the room 1 in the presence of five witnesses. Killed later.

December 7, 2017

• In the beginning of the operation, the presence of an ant on the gown of the doctor. Ant caught, put in pot and handed over to the head of department.
• The presence of two ants on the edge of the window.

Source : Report of declarations of incidents and accidents, Hospital Charles-LeMoyne

“It doesn’t look great”

Photo archive

The operating block of the hospital has been
built in 1965.

In the past few months, the property is located in Longueuil has clogged the holes in the meantime to be able to do some major work.

We re-sealed the outer envelope of the operating room. A new door will soon be installed at the entrance of the block and other work has been done to the cooling system. It is also expected to redo the work of caulking on the external structure of the hospital towards the end of the month of march. Work is evaluated to 400 000 $.

Excessive moisture

“Despite all the money invested, there are still insects,” says a person familiar with the situation. This last is said to have never seen anything like it in a hospital. “Elsewhere, there has been a fly and it was the commotion of battle, whereas here, it’s been years that we will have to collect the insects. “

The doctors are concerned about the risks of nosocomial infections. “It doesn’t look great, it increases the risk of infection. “

At the end of the month of September, 36 operations had to be cancelled because of the heat and excessive humidity.

Another source, who has not seen the presence of insects is not, however, surprise of the situation.

“When it will begin to make more beautiful, it will come out. This block is so old, ” she said, noting that the humidity is often far from the standards.

Last August, the Centre hospitalier de Vichy France closed its operating room for four days as a precautionary measure after the discovery of insects in certain areas of circulation.

Plans for a new block

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Lise Pouliot, CEO assistant

Even if a new operating theatre is in the cards for the past fifteen years, the direction of the Charles-LeMoyne Hospital has officially presented its plans to the department in December last.

The presentation of a clinical plan was one of the conditions of the minister of Health, Gaétan Barrette, to decide whether a new theatre will be built. Future rooms would be constructed above the new emergency.

The number of operating rooms may increase from 13 to 15 to meet the needs of the population of the Montérégie region. “It is positive “, says Lise Pouliot, president and ceo of the CISSS de la Montérégie-Centre.

However, this is not yesterday that this project is in the plans. It was part of the plan of development submitted to the city of Greenfield Park in November 2003.

In 2010, it was estimated the cost of the work to a new block and expansion of the laboratories to$ 42 Million in an internal document. It was then presented as a draft with the favourable opinion of the ministry.

Problem confined

However, there is still no announcement has been made in this direction. The management said that it is not the presence of insects or the humidity of the rooms that justifies the construction of a new block.

It rather indicates that this problem is confined to a particular area of the operating room. The operating room number 1 would be particularly at risk because of the two walls that overlook the outside.

Measures of pest control were put in place, and it is argued that no incident has been listed since December.

According to Lise Pouliot, a nurse is always present during operations to ensure that the sterile field is not contaminated. It can intervene if necessary.