'Unprecedented surge' of RSV patients causes more surgery delays at children's hospital - KSL.com

Primary Children's Hospital announced Monday astir 50 elective, prescheduled surgeries volition beryllium delayed truthful the infirmary tin amended dainty the ample influx of patients with RSV and different respiratory illnesses. (Intermountain Healthcare)

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SALT LAKE CITY — Primary Children's Hospital announced Monday that astir 50 elective, prescheduled surgeries that necessitate overnight stays for patients volition beryllium delayed truthful the infirmary tin dainty the monolithic influx of children who are sick with RSV and different respiratory illnesses.

The infirmary said successful a connection that successful bid to "provide fantabulous care, and to guarantee that staffing and resources are champion capable to conscionable diligent needs during this engaged time, the infirmary is delaying arsenic galore of this week's prescheduled, nonemergency procedures and surgeries that would necessitate an inpatient enactment arsenic possible."

Those 50 surgeries relationship for astir 10% of each surgeries scheduled this week astatine the Primary Children's. It's the second clip this period infirmary administrators person made the determination to postpone elective surgeries owed to a precocious fig of patients with respiratory illnesses.

"We don't instrumentality this enactment lightly," said Dr. Andrew Pavia, a pediatric infectious diseases doc for the hospital, during a property league Monday afternoon.

Even though the infirmary has had galore preventative measures enactment successful spot to woody with the expected surge of the acold season, this twelvemonth has seen an "unprecedented surge" successful RSV accompanied by ample amounts of influenza and COVID-19 cases, helium said.

The infirmary is presently operating astatine afloat capableness for a surge, meaning they person converted immoderate objective spaces into inpatient rooms and enactment 2 patients successful rooms that typically lone clasp one. In spite of those efforts, Pavia said the infirmary is pushed to the bounds and each time they are doing their champion to assistance children get good capable truthful they tin nonstop them location and marque country to admit different sick children.

"Our diligent volumes are exceeding emblematic wintertime surge levels, and the infirmary has been astatine oregon adjacent capableness for respective consecutive weeks," said Dustin Lipson, head of Primary Children's Hospital. "This is combined with precocious volumes of patients coming to the exigency section for different assorted illnesses and injuries."

The exigency country has acceptable records for the fig of children being seen successful a azygous time for 2 of the past 4 days, Pavia said, causing it to beryllium "extraordinarily busy." The exigency country squad has been stepping up to conscionable the request of patients, but determination is constricted abstraction disposable for patients, which led to the determination successful delaying those elective, prescheduled surgeries, Pavia said.

"We person taken this enactment truly arsenic the mode to supply the champion and safest attraction for the kids who request it," Pavia said. "Unfortunately, it does origin inconvenience for immoderate families who are having scheduled surgeries canceled."

Pavia said the champion happening to assistance the infirmary close present is to enactment retired of the ER and support children steadfast and distant from sick people. Mild symptoms successful adults tin easy beryllium passed onto children, who volition past grounds much terrible symptoms perchance requiring infirmary visits, helium said.

"If not for yourself, past bash it for our community," Pavia said astir getting the flu and COVID-19 vaccines. Getting the flu shot, COVID-19 vaccines, wearing a disguise erstwhile you amusement symptoms and much tin forestall illness.

Because RSV and influenza haven't reached their highest yet, Pavia said the infirmary is expecting immoderate pugnacious weeks ahead. Primary Children's volition beryllium re-evaluating regular whether much elective surgeries volition request to beryllium delayed.

Elective surgeries that don't necessitate overnight stays are inactive being held usually but could besides beryllium delayed if things get worse, Pavia said.

"I cognize however hard this is going to beryllium for immoderate of our families. We wouldn't bash it if we had immoderate different choice," Pavia said. "We are not going to hold immoderate country that is going to endanger immoderate child. But we cognize it volition origin immoderate inconvenience and possibly immoderate expense."

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