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A health board has contacted nearly 200 patients undergoing cardiac surgery at an Edinburgh hospital over the past six months, due to fears of infection.
The NHS Lothian has written to 186 patients who have undergone cardiac aortic valve replacement surgery at the Royal Edinburgh Infirmary in the last six months.
They stated that six patients who had undergone cardio-thoracic surgery over a period of 18 months had been infected with unusual infections thought to have been contracted during the surgery. A number of them have died.
Four scheduled surgeries were canceled this week for specialist cleaning.
Professor Alex McMahon, NHS Lothian's chief executive for infection control, apologized to the families of the deceased patients.
He said: "We know that this will be a worrying time for those who have received letters, but we have contacted patients on a purely preventative basis.
"The risk is very low and we do not anticipate more cases, but we know that it can take up to six months for these infections to materialize.
"We want to make sure that these patients know the symptoms to know and contact the NHS Inform if they have any concerns.
"Many patients undergoing this type of operation are already very ill and vulnerable to infection, so we attach the utmost importance to a strict infection prevention and control regime.
"We are sorry for the inconvenience and disappointment caused to patients whose procedures were canceled this week, but we must give priority to patient safety first and foremost.
"Everyone involved will be badigned a new appointment as soon as possible."
Patients died of infections at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow (Jane Barlow / PA)The 18-month window covers March 2017, no cases having been discovered before, and November 2018, no known cases since.
It occurs after the infection-related deaths at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow at a cost of £ 842 million.
A spokeswoman for the Scottish Government said, "Our thoughts and condolences go to the families and friends of the deceased patients.
"We know that this will be a worrisome time for those who have received letters and, even though the risk of infection is low, it is important that they follow the advice given by the NHS Lothian.
"The NHS Lothian is undertaking the specialized cleaning and disinfection of the theaters used for this type of procedure and has stated that enhanced infection control measures have also been put in place.
"Scottish government officials remain in close contact with the board of health on this incident."
Scottish conservative health spokeswoman Miles Briggs said ministers should provide answers on the situation, adding: "It is vitally important that processes in the health environment be reviewed and improved to minimize the risk of infection in our hospitals. "
Alex Cole-Hamilton, Scottish Liberal Democrat Health Critic, said, "This news will be extremely stressful for patients who have already undergone complex procedures and are at risk of being in a vulnerable situation.
"Unfortunately, for a handful of families, these infections have been detected too late. We need to know why these infections have occurred to prevent future epidemics in the future. "
Monica Lennon, spokesperson for the health union, said: "The health commission has made the right decision by taking these precautions, but this revelation raises again questions about infection control in hospitals in Scotland. "
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