Surgeon's Infected Hands Led To Staph Outbreak At Cedars

Five patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center became infected after a heart surgeon operated with an inflammation on his hands.

Five heart patients at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center contracted staph infections after a doctor operated on them with bacteria on his hands, the hospital said this week.

The doctor, whom the hospital declined to name, had an inflammation on his hand when he implanted replacement heart valves into five patients last June.

He wore gloves, but they developed microscopic tears, the hospital said, causing the infection to pass to patients.

All five became infected with the staphylococcus epidermidis bacteria, the hospital said.

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