Wrong Patient Receives Kidney Transplant On November 18, 2019, Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Camden, NJ performed a kidney transplant on the wrong patient. The patient who actually received the transplant was a 51-year-old male. Officials stated that this recipient was in need of a kidney, but he was out of priority order based on the matching organ donor list. This individual shared the “same name and is of similar age” as the intended recipient, according to a Virtua Health statement. The patient who was set to get the kidney transplant underwent a successful transplant this past Sunday, November 24. Virtua advised that both individuals are doing well. Surgical and Medical Malpractice Information According to Johns Hopkins, surgical/medical malpractice is the third leading cause of death in the United States. Per the study that Johns Hopkins references, data Read More

Adenovirus NJ Outbreak News On November 1, 2018, the New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) reported that another adenovirus case had been confirmed in an ongoing outbreak at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation in Haskell. To date, a total of 28 confirmed pediatric adenovirus cases have been associated with the outbreak, resulting in 10 deaths. Illness onset dates related to this outbreak range from September 25, 2018 through October 30, 2018. According to the DOH, the Wanaque facility will not admit new residents while the outbreak is ongoing. In addition, a DOH Communicable Disease Service staff member is on site at the facility to monitor the outbreak. About Adenovirus According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adenoviruses can cause a range of illnesses including cold-like symptoms, sore throat, bronchitis, pneumonia, diarrhea, pink eye (conjunctivitis),fever, Read More

NJ Acinetobacter Outbreak Announced – The New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) announced that it is investigating four Acinetobacter baumannii infections in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) of University Hospital in Newark. About Acinetobacter Acinetobacter is an opportunistic bacterial pathogen mainly affecting people with compromised immune systems. It is a significant healthcare-associated infection. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Acinetobacter causes a variety of diseases, ranging from pneumonia to serious blood or wound infections, and the symptoms vary depending on the disease.” Acinetobacter can be spread by person-to-person contact or by coming into contact with contaminated surfaces. Infection control procedures, including hand washing and environmental cleaning, can reduce the risk of transmission. New Jersey Department of Health Findings The DOH reports that it first became aware of the Acinetobacter outbreak on October 1, 2018. Read More

Fainting Pulmonary Embolism According to an Italian study, fainting spells may indicate a blood clot in the lung more often than previously thought. The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that 17 percent of the patients with fainting spells also had blood clots in the lung. These findings are alarming because physicians typically do not check for blood clots when a patient experiences a fainting spell. Blood Clots, Pulmonary Embolism (PE) and Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) A pulmonary embolism (PE) is a sudden blockage in a lung artery. The blockage is actually a blood clot or blood clots that have traveled to the lungs from another part of the body. These traveling blood clots commonly form in the deep veins of the legs, and are called a deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Because a PE can block Read More

High-Dose Imodium Heart Problems The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Drug Safety Communication cautioning the public against taking higher than recommended doses of the common over-the-counter and prescription diarrhea medicine Imodium (loperamide), including through abuse or misuse of the product, as this can cause serious heart problems that can lead to death. Danger Use of higher than recommended doses of Imodium can result in serious cardiac adverse events. High doses of Imodium may cause cardiac events including: QT interval prolongation, Torsades de Pointes other ventricular arrhythmias, syncope, and cardiac arrest. Details of High-Dose Imodium Heart Problems Imodium is used to help control symptoms of diarrhea, including Travelers’ Diarrhea. The maximum approved daily dose for adults is 8 mg per day for OTC use and 16 mg per day for prescription use. It is sold under the Read More

Aspirin-Antacid Bleeding Risk The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers about the risk of serious bleeding when using nonprescription, also known as over-the-counter or OTC, aspirin-containing antacid products to treat heartburn, sour stomach, acid indigestion, or upset stomach. Aspirin is a commonly used pain reducer and fever reducer. It is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that can increase the risk of bleeding, including in the stomach and gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In a Safety Communication issued on June 6, 2016, The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) publicized the risk of serious bleeding when using over-the-counter (nonprescription) aspirin-containing antacid products. The FDA cautioned consumers to consider this risk when looking for an antacid to treat heartburn, sour stomach, acid indigestion, or upset stomach. Aspirin is a commonly used pain reducer and fever reducer, but may increase the risk Read More