Duke settles with patients injured by surgical instruments
June 24th, 2008 joshua
Duke University Heath System has reached a confidential settlement on allegations patients in its hospitals were injured after being exposed to a hydraulic fluid found on surgical instruments.
According to The Raleigh (N.C.) News & Observer, an unknown number of patients exposed to this fluid brought this case against Duke.
Several dozen people exposed the fluid have also taken up a lawsuit against the manufacturers responsible for releasing the harmful implements to hospitals and medical professionals.
More than 3,600 patients were operated on with instruments mistakenly cleaned with used hydraulic fluid. The fluid had been drained from an elevator and sent back to the hospitals for use as detergent, according to the article.












