Incident involving sterilization unit affects some surgical procedures at UK Hospital
Some surgical procedures are being affected by a situation involving sterilization at University of Kentucky Chandler Hospital in Lexington.
“This morning, construction crews working at UK Chandler Hospital alerted UK HealthCare leadership about an incident that affected the Central Sterile unit,” UK HealthCare said in a statement Friday afternoon.
The Central Sterile unit “is the area where medical equipment and surgical supplies are sterilized and stored,” a university spokesperson said in an email. “At this time, we are still assessing the situation but to prioritize our most critical patients, many elective cases will be rescheduled.”
The system said it “is working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.”
The hospital’s emergency department is open, and “Level 1 adult and pediatric trauma needs are being prioritized,” the statement read.
“Patients will be contacted directly regarding the status and scheduling of any elective or non-emergency procedures. “The safety of our patients is always our utmost concern, and we appreciate your patience while we work to resolve this situation.”
The university did not immediately describe the nature of the incident.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
