Woman claims hospital procedures infected dozens of patients

A woman is claiming she and 43 other patients contracted the same bacterial infection after undergoing procedures at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in northwest suburban Park Ridge.

An endoscope was used in a procedure on Donna Pirolli at Lutheran General on June 25, 2013, according to a lawsuit filed Friday in Cook County Circuit Court.

The suit claims the endoscope was not properly cleaned and was “colonized” with a bacteria called NDM producing CRE, which eventually gave Pirolli an infection.

Infections stemming from this bacteria are most often contracted in medical facilities, according to the Centers for Disease Control website. Patients whose care requires ventilators, urinary catheters or intravenous catheters are most at risk, the website said.

Pirolli claims 43 other patients from the hospital were also infected with NDM producing CRE, but the suit did not specify how.

A hospital spokeswoman did not immediately return a call for comment.

The suit claims the hospital failed to properly clean the endoscope. Priolli is asking for an unspecified amount in damages.