17 Premature Babies Given Heparin Overdoses at Corpus Christi Hospital, One Dies

By Aaron Poehler

Published on July 10, 2008

Christus Spohn Hospital South in Corpus Christi, Texas, has opened an investigation into how and why 17 premature babies in the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit received overdoses of the blood thinner heparin.

One child who received the accidental overdose has since died; an autopsy will be performed to determine whether heparin was a factor in the baby's death. Hospital spokesmen indicated the child was already seriously ill and the overdose may not have played any role in the death. One infant remains in critical condition, while three have been discharged and the remaining 12 are listed as stable.

The problem was discovered by the hospital's nursing staff Sunday, two days after the first heparin overdoses were administered. Hospital spokesmen stated that corrective action was taken immediately after the problem was discovered to prevent further heparin overdoses and that a preliminary investigation showed the error occurred in the hospital's pharmacy during the heparin mixing and preparation process. Two members of the pharmacy staff have taken voluntary leave pending the results of the hospital's investigation.

Heparin is routinely used to clean patients' intravenous lines and prevent formation of blood clots. The blood thinner leaped into the headlines last year when actor Dennis Quaid's then-12-day-old twins nearly died after they were accidentally administered massive overdoses of the anticoagulant. In 2006, three infants died after receiving similar overdoses at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.

 

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