Mpls. VA suspends surgeries over substance in sterilization gear

The Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center has suspended most surgeries this week after finding a foreign substance in some sterilizing equipment.

The black residue was discovered in four sterilizers on Monday. The unidentified substance has been sent to a laboratory for analysis. While those results are pending, the VA says the affected equipment will be cleaned, inspected and certified.

The sterilizers appeared to be functioning properly, so now investigators are checking the medical center's water sources and steam generator, said Chief of Staff Dr. Kent Crossley.

"One of the things that our engineering group has been doing is to look at the other areas where steam goes to make sure that something untoward didn't happen with the steam flow that might have allowed the steam to be contaminated with some kind of residue," he said.

The center is performing some surgeries using equipment sterilized by another hospital. But the VA says most of its surgeries have been canceled for the remainder of the week. But the VA says it's reduced the number of major daily operations from an average of 40 to around 10.

Urgent or emergency procedures are being moved to the University of Minnesota and other local hospitals.