Colon and rectal surgeon Sanjiv Patankar allegedly washed and reused catheters that are inserted into patients' rectum during medical procedures. The instruments, which are used to examine patients with fecal incontinence, constipation, and other possible disorders, are supposed to be thrown away after a single use.
Patankar, who practiced in East Brunswick, [New Jersey] allegedly instructed medical assistants to wash the instruments in soapy water after use, soak them in bleach solutions, and then rinse before air-drying them. The doctor also reportedly ordered to continue using a catheter that has started to break down due to overbleaching.
In a hearing conducted Dec. 19, the state said that documented evidence appears to show that between Jan. 1 and Nov. 30, Patankar's office performed 82 procedures but only five catheters were used over that period.
(Score: 2) by chewbacon on Friday March 02 2018, @03:26AM
Many probes and surgical instruments get reprocessed. Even some “single use” products are reprocessed (perfectly within FDA regulations). It is great for lowering the cost of health care, but far from perfect as I’ve personally, but rarely, found contaminants on reprocessed items. What does suck is few hospitals pass those savings on to patients, but pocket the cash instead.