Common link in 6 hepatitis C cases

Six patients who tested positive for acute hepatitis C weeks after undergoing procedures at a Las Vegas endoscopy center all received anesthesia from one of two nurse anesthetists, according to a report released today by the federal Centers for Disease Control.

According to the report, which details CDC investigators' observations while visiting Southern Nevada in early January, two Certified Nurse Anesthetists said it was their routine practice to reuse syringes to withdraw anesthetic from vials. And, although the syringes were used on the same patient, the single-dose propofol vials were used on multiple patients, the CDC report says.

One of the nurse anesthetists said the practice of reusing syringes and single dose propofol vials "reflected what clinic staff had instructed him to do."

More about the hepatitis C investigation.