Yvonne Hemz was scheduled to have a cancerous tumor removed from her kidney Tuesday.
However, on Sunday, Hemze, 52, of Farmington, Minnesota, received a call from the hospital, Abbott Northwestern, telling him that his surgery had been canceled. The hospital had been reducing the delivery of intravenous fluids, vital to patients during surgery, after Hurricane Helene damaged the Baxter International facility in North Carolina, leading to its temporary closure. The plant is the nation’s largest producer of IV fluids.
Hemze said he has not been able to see his doctor since his cancellation and fears his cancer will get worse.
He said: “Cancer will not stop growing just because they cannot be operated on.
On Thursday, shortly after NBC News reached out to Allina Health, a network of hospitals that includes Abbott Northwestern, for comment, Hemze said he received a call from his doctor informing him that his surgery scheduled for Friday morning. In a statement, an Allina Health spokeswoman said the hospital was working to schedule people’s appointments Thursday and prioritize cases like Hemze’s.
However, his case is not unique: Hospitals across the United States have said they are taking steps to conserve their supply of IV fluids, including postponing or canceling non-emergency surgeries. When possible, patients are given Gatorade or water for hydration, instead of IV solutions.
IV fluids do more than deliver drugs or electrolytes directly into the patient’s bloodstream. They are needed during surgeries to keep patients hydrated, control blood pressure and compensate for lost fluid, including blood. Certain IV fluids are used for kidney patients; others, as a form of intravenous nutrition.
“It’s the life of treating patients in hospitals, and if you turn off the hospital’s supply of these important IV fluids like normal saline and Ringer’s, it’s almost like turning off the water in your house,” said Dr. Chris DeRienzo, pediatrician. chief physician of the American Hospital Association. (Lactated Ringer’s is an electrolyte solution, similar to saline.)
There are only a handful of IV fluid manufacturers in the US and other countries, so any disruption could have a big impact, he said.
On Monday, the AHA urged President Joe Biden to declare a state of emergency due to the limited supply of IV fluids.
Running out of supplies
For Hannah Hale, 37, who lives in Dallas, Baxter’s closing meant her pharmacy could no longer provide the dextrose solution she relies on.
Hale suffers from Crohn’s disease, and several surgeries over the years left him with only part of his small intestine, meaning his body can’t absorb nutrients. from his digestive system. He has been dependent on IV nutrition, which delivers nutrients directly into his bloodstream, for more than eight years.
On Monday, her pharmacy told her that they would no longer be able to give her dextrose solution – an important part of her IV nutrition – and advised her to switch to a different pharmacy. one.
He called 14 other pharmacies but was unsuccessful in finding one that could provide the medication. His story was first reported by The New York Times.
“I had a two-day supply of IV nutrition in my refrigerator,” Hale told NBC News on Thursday.
His doctor and pharmacist finally came up with the idea of mixing electrolytes with a small volume of saline instead of dextrose, which he received on Wednesday. It’s only a temporary solution – the pharmacist won’t be able to make it again – and you’ll run out of it after seven days.
He said: “I don’t know what I will do.”
Working with the government
The federal government is working with Baxter to quickly resolve the supply crisis.
On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration announced it would temporarily allow the importation of IV fluids from Baxter plants in Canada, China, Ireland and the United Kingdom. It remains unclear how long it will take for the product to reach the US The FDA did not respond to a request for comment.
The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR), an agency within the Department of Health and Human Services, is also helping Baxter get its facility back up and running.
The company said Wednesday that it hopes to return to “90% to 100% distribution” of “certain IV solution products” by the end of the year.
Hospitals and retailers will see an increase in the supply of high-demand IV fluids: from 40% to 60% and 10% to 60%, respectively.
ASPR is also working with B. Braun Medical, the country’s second largest manufacturer of IV, to strengthen supply.
B. Braun Medical temporarily closed two of its facilities in Daytona Beach, Florida, in anticipation of Hurricane Milton. However, Alli Longenhagen, a spokeswoman for the company, said Thursday that services were not damaged by the storm and will resume operations on Friday morning.
Two of the smaller IV fluid manufacturers in the US are ICU Medical and Fresenius Kabi. Spokespeople for each company said they have taken steps to increase supply.
‘Urgently required’
The federal government and manufacturers will need to move quickly.
Dr. Paul Biddinger, chief preparedness and development officer at Mass General Brigham in Boston, said the health system has been receiving reduced supplies since the Baxter center closed.
It must take steps to maintain its supply, including switching to oral hydration — that is, drinks that include Gatorade or water — instead of using IV fluids when possible.
He said: “We have been sending our nurses, our doctors. If possible, we want people to find alternatives or eliminate waste.
Short supply means patients will continue to struggle.
Robert, a 67-year-old mathematician from Chicago, has kidney disease. This week, he learned that the fluid needed for his dialysis was suddenly unavailable.
Robert – who asked that his name not be used to protect his privacy – said his doctors insisted on finding an alternative, forcing him to undergo lengthy treatments.
“There are people who won’t be able to do it because of this, because I know that if I don’t get dialysis every day, every day, I won’t be able to do it,” he said. like that. It is an immediate need.
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