A health board has apologised after 21 patients were treated using unsterilised instruments at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport.
The incident has left these patients at risk of infection of blood-borne viruses, although the risk has been described as “extremely low”.
The most common blood-borne viruses include HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which governs the hospital, said all affected patients had been contacted.
In the error, the instruments had completed their initial cleaning and disinfection stages but did not go through final sterilisation before being reused.
The patients affected will now undergo “precautionary testing” to see if they have contracted any possible viruses as a result of the incident.
A spokesman for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said: “Following an issue affecting the sterilisation of a very small number of medical instruments at the Royal Gwent Hospital, we are taking precautionary steps to support the 21 patients affected. Although the instruments completed the initial cleaning and disinfection stages, they did not go through the final sterilisation phase.
“We have already contacted the patients affected and want to offer our sincere and heartfelt apologies for the worry this situation may cause. While the clinical risk of Blood‑Borne Virus exposure is extremely low, we have arranged precautionary testing and support to give full reassurance.
“We fully recognise the concern and distress this may cause, and we are truly sorry. The wellbeing of our patients is our highest priority, and we are taking all necessary actions to understand how this happened and to prevent it from occurring again.
“We also understand that others may feel concerned on hearing about this. We want to reassure all patients that this was a very limited incident, those affected have been contacted directly, and there is no wider cause for concern.”
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