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More Questionable Tissue

Burlington, Vermont - March 17, 2006

Health officials are tracking a growing list of patients in our region -- implanted with tissue that was improperly taken from cadavers. Hospitals across the country reported getting un-tested parts from from Biomedical Tissue Services (BTS) -- a New Jersey company at the center of a federal investigation. And now hospitals are scrambling to track down which patients may be affected. 

Vermont officials now say the number of patients at Fletcher Allen Healthcare who received this tissue has jumped to 40. Earlier this week the hospital knew of 2. At Northwestern Medical Center in St. Albans -- 2 patients received suspect tissue. And at Dartmouth Hitchcock in Hanover -- 3 patients are possibly at risk. 

The number of patients COULD possibly grow as the investigation continues. Dartmouth Hitchcock officials say they were warned that two subsidiaries of BTS may also have distributed suspect tissue. Most patients involved have been notified -- and testing is being offered. Fletcher Allen is in the process of reaching all patients. The FDA says the risk of infection is low -- because even though the tissue was NOT tested -- it goes through processing before its implanted.

Check the link on our Infocenter for more information.