Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are slow-growing bacteria and infections may take months to develop. How long does it usually take for these infections to show up?

It is possible that not all of the devices introduced these bacteria into the operating room or exposed patients. Initial information suggests that patients who had prosthetic implants are at higher risk. In hospitals where at least one infection has been identified, the risk of infection was between about 1 in 100 and 1 in 1,000 patients. Overall, the risk is thought to be very low. The letter provides background information on the situation and to suspect NTM infections among patients who have signs of infection and a history of open-chest cardiac surgery.

Patients to Take to Their Primary Care Provider Letter įor patients to take with them when they visit their healthcare provider.

Use to notify patients of their risk of developing an NTM infection and steps to follow in the event of symptoms. Use to notify healthcare providers that their patient is receiving a notification letter and to suspect NTM infections among patients who have signs of infection and a history of open-chest cardiac surgery.

Healthcare Provider Notification Letter.

Patient and physician notification letters to customize:

Hospital Frequently Asked Questions Ībout notifying patients of risk from contaminated heater-cooler devices.

Health Department Frequently Asked Questions Ībout case tracking of invasive NTM infections following cardiac surgery with exposure to heater-cooler devices.

Notification information to customize and share: Heater-Cooler Notification ToolkitĬDC is available to assist with the process of developing documents for notifications. Available information suggests that patients who had valves or prosthetic products implanted are at higher risk of these infections. While these infections can be severe, and some patients in this investigation have died, it is unclear whether the infection was a direct cause of death. Heater-cooler units are an essential part of these life-saving surgeries because they help keep a patient’s circulating blood and organs at a specific temperature during the procedure.ĬDC estimates that in hospitals where at least one infection has been identified, the risk of a patient getting an infection from the bacteria was between about 1 in 100 and 1 in 1,000. More than 250,000 heart bypass procedures using heater-cooler devices are performed in the United States every year, and in approximately 60% of these procedures the devices that have been associated with these infections were utilized. This advice follows information indicating that some LivaNova PLC (formerly Sorin Group Deutschland GmbH) Stöckert 3T heater-cooler devices, used during many open heart surgeries, might have been contaminated during manufacturing which could put patients at risk for life-threatening infections. Patients who have had open heart surgery should seek medical care if they are experiencing symptoms such as While risk of infection is low, it is important to consult with your doctor. Patients who have had open-heart surgery and are having symptoms should seek medical care. Health AlertĬDC has warned hospitals and patients about the potential risk of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria (NTM) infections from certain heater-cooler devices used during open heart (open-chest) surgery.

CDC urges healthcare providers and public health officials to support enrollment and contact the registry about potentially eligible patients.

Additional details about the registry such as inclusion criteria and registry contact information are available online at: NTM Infect Registry. Individual patient identities will remain confidential. The objectives of the registry are to collect and disseminate information about the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, treatment, and outcomes for affected patients. registry of patients infected with nontuberculous mycobacteria after exposure to heater cooler devices during cardiothoracic surgical procedures. The University of Iowa was awarded a CDC Safety and Healthcare Epidemiology Prevention Research Development (SHEPheRD) contract to create a U.S. Registry for Patients Infected with Nontuberculous Mycobacteria after Exposures to Heater-Cooler Devices

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