Some surgeries postponed due to IV fluid shortage after factory damaged by Helene: 'I will wait'

Elaina Athans Image
Monday, October 7, 2024
Some surgeries postponed due to IV fluid shortage
Some surgeries postponed due to IV fluid shortage A factory in North Cove, NC produces much of the country's IV fluid supply was damaged. Hospitals nationwide are conserving their units.

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Camille Kauer says she's in pain daily. Two years ago, the Cary mother was diagnosed with endometriosis

"This recent cyst I've had for about a year-and-a-half," said Kauer.

On Monday, she was finally supposed to get a grapefruit-sized cyst removed and some lesions. A robotic surgery was scheduled, but it was recently postponed because of the destruction in Western North Carolina.

"I really have a lot of heart for everything that's going on in Western North Carolina and South Carolina and Georgia," she said. "It's hard for me to be selfish and be like 'No, you got to do mine.'"

A factory that produces much of the country's IV fluid supply was damaged and now hospitals nationwide conserving their units.

This one was pretty dramatic and is having a significant impact right now.
Terry McDonnell, Duke Health

Duke Health Chief Nursing Officer Terry McDonnell says the supply could be impacted for months.

"That's about 1.5 million units daily that we now don't have in the supply," said McDonnell. "This one was pretty dramatic and is having a significant impact right now."

Duke Health and WakeMed Health Systems are evaluating their caseload and prioritizing them.

UNC Health says at this time, it has not needed to postpone any surgeries because of the shortage.

What I need to have done, it's not necessarily life-threatening.
Camille Kauer, Patient

Kauer is hoping to have her surgery next month and finally get some relief.

"What I need to have done, it's not necessarily life-threatening, but for some of those people it is," said Kauer. "My thought is I will wait as long as they need to make sure they have everything they need."

ALSO SEE | FEMA has faced criticism and praise during Helene. Here's what it does - and doesn't do

WATCH | Damage from Helene in WNC

VIDEO: Scenes of Helene's devastation from central to western NC (1 of 6)
Copyright © 2024 WTVD-TV. All Rights Reserved.