Power cut is a shock for dialysis patients

[okarol]

Power cut is a shock for dialysis patients

raymond.brown@cambridge-news.co.uk

PATIENTS hooked up to kidney dialysis machines were terrified after a power failure at a brand new unit, the News can reveal.

The incident happened at Hinchingbrooke Hospital while 14 patients were connected to the life-saving equipment.

Staff "frantically" disconnected all the patients from the machines - which work as replacement kidneys - to prevent dangerous blood clots from forming.

The power failure, which happened on Friday, lasted between 9.30pm and 10pm. The hospital has assured patients they were not in danger.

One patient, who did not wish to be named, said: "We were all hooked up getting our blood cleaned out of all the nasty things in it and the power went out. There were 14 patients with two of them in isolation.

"It's a brand new unit with all the bells and whistles, but I have never seen nurses move so fast. There were only five nurses who had to rush around unhooking 14 patients.

"It was frantic. Because there was no power it meant our blood was not flowing, which means it will start to coagulate and clot which is very dangerous. What concerned me was that the unit does not have back up power. "

A spokeswoman for Addenbrooke's Hospital, which runs the service at Hinchingbrooke, said the machines had batteries to power them for a short time in the event of problems.

She said: "Although a power cut may be worrying for patients, it does not put them in any danger. Our dialysis machines have internal batteries that power them for 20 minutes while we disconnect people safely.

"Most patients will be able to wait before resuming dialysis without any adverse effect.

"In this case, all the patients involved continued to be treated at Hinchingbrooke 30 minutes after the power went off."

The unit was opened in April and cut travelling times for people waiting for a kidney transplant in Cambridgeshire. It meant patients no longer have to travel to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge for treatment.

It is the third "satellite" unit operated by Addenbrooke's, joining centres at King's Lynn Hospital in Norfolk and the West Suffolk Hospital.

The unit was supplied and built by German pharmaceutical giant Fresenius Medical Care UK.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_home/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=338480

[twirl]

the Tuesday the hurricane hit everyone on Tues ran an hour shorter
three instead of four
don't ask me why
it was just like another bad thurnder storm
the techs told me and I thought - just my luck ----- I go on MWF
I guess they called everyone
I don't know

[G-Ma]

Ours in center went out a few weeks ago when a car hit a power pole and we had to start hand cranking, the nurses were very efficient and we had just started when elec co had the power restored.  It was scary but doable and techs were able to help those who could not manage this.