U.S. shortage of IV fluids because of Huricane Helene leads to some canceled surgeries

Shortage of IV fluids leads to canceled surgeries IV fluids used in hospitals remain in short supply, after Hurricane Helene shut down a key North Carolina factory. The closure has hospitals scrambling to stretch supplies and prioritize care. NPR

...

Some hospitals have had to conserve their supplies for the neediest patients. Sometimes, that means telling emergency room patients to drink a Gatorade or Pedialyte instead of getting an IV. But it has also meant canceling some surgeries.

“This shortage is still touching nearly every hospital in the country,” says Dr. Chris DeRienzo, chief physician executive of the American Hospital Association. “Now I've talked to hospitals coast to coast, border to border all over the country who are needing to engage in those kinds of measures.”

...