Aberdeen Hospital operating rooms closed until next week

The Aberdeen Hospital in New Glasgow has been forced to reschedule dozens of surgeries after excessive humidity in the surgical area prompted concerns about bacterial contamination.

The hospital's four operating rooms were closed on Monday and officials with the Pictou County Health Authority said they will remain closed for the rest of the week.

They're scheduled to reopen on Jan. 13.

In the meantime, 58 non-urgent surgeries have been rescheduled. Seven emergency orthopedic surgeries were referred to other hospitals in the province.

Health officials said engineering consultants investigated the air handling system in the operating rooms and have determined the cause of failure, but did not disclose any further details.

Staff had been worried the high humidity increased the likelihood of bacterial contamination, resulting in an "unacceptable risk."

Work still needs to be done to prepare the operating rooms for use:

• Dehumidify the area.
• Thoroughly clean all rooms and corridors.
• Restock sterilizedequipment and instruments.
• Order and restock supplies.

The Pictou County Health Authority said the delivery date for supplies is dependent on inventory availability, weather and transportation. The items in stock will impact the type of surgeries that can be done initially, they said.