Dirty scalpels bring 5,000 ops to a halt - The Observer 2nd March 2008

Surgery is being cancelled, sometimes as patients lie anaesthetised, after outside cleaning firms return theatre equipment unsterile and broken Thousands of hospital operations are being called off because surgical instruments are dirty, missing or broken. In some cases anaesthetised patients have been woken up and returned to the ward, says the organisation representing many of Britain's senior surgeons.

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