Landspítali review finds 45% of surgical tools fail standards

About 45% of surgical instruments at Landspítali, Iceland’s national hospital, do not meet the strictest standards used in inspections, the hospital’s communications representative told mbl.is. The oldest instrument found during an inspection was more than 40 years old.

The findings came from a systematic review of instruments and surgical trays. An earlier hospital statement said about 70% of the instruments were either unusable or needed repair. Andri Ólafsson, the hospital’s communications representative, said their condition was not as poor as that statement suggested.

Ólafsson said the 45% figure was in line with results from similar inspections at hospitals in neighbouring countries.

The hospital has accumulated a need to replace instruments, but the scale and total cost will not be known until the review and prioritisation process is complete. The aim is to assess condition, use, maintenance and replacement needs regularly, and prioritise investment based on safety and service needs.