Some Toronto-area hospitals are reporting a shortage of epidural tubes amid ongoing global supply issues.
William Osler Health System confirmed they were experiencing shortages to CTV News Toronto on Tuesday in a statement and said they are “working closely with suppliers and government partners to secure the inventory.”
The hospital network says it has developed an “epidural catheter supply” strategy in the meantime to meet patient needs.
An epidural tube or catheter is a thin piece of plastic used to pierce the epidural space in a patient’s spine to administer pain medication during labor. The ongoing global shortage of devices hit Canada in late July, initially affecting the western provinces more severely, according to the Canadian Society of Anesthesiologists (CAS).
William Osler Health System consists of three hospitals in Toronto – Brampton Civic Hospital, Etobicoke General Hospital and Peel Memorial Hospital.
Lakeridge Health, a network of five hospitals in Durham Region, also told CTV News Toronto they are facing a “potential shortage” of epidural catheters related to supply chain issues spanning North America.
“While we have an adequate supply of epidural catheters in the short term, we are working with our partners at Ontario Health and the Ministry of Health, who are actively engaging with Health Canada, suppliers, distributors and manufacturers in Ontario to understand the current outlook for the situation and supplies,” said Lakeridge Communications Manager Julie Dowdy.
When reached for comment, other hospitals, including Sunnybrook Hospital, Michael Garron Hospital, University Health Network, North York General Hospital and Women’s College Hospital, said their patients were not currently affected.
However, each institution said it was “monitoring the situation closely.”
Ontario’s Ministry of Health told CTV News Toronto that it is aware that some Canadian provinces have experienced epidural shortages, but said that at this time, “Ontario has an adequate supply of epidural catheters and women have access to epidurals for childbirth.” .
Although the province currently has an adequate supply, the Department of Health said it is tracking inventory to assess the need to redistribute epidural catheters.
“Hospitals will receive instructions on how to assess and report current inventory in the coming days.”
CAS president and vice-president Dr. Dolores McKean and Dr. Lucy Filto told CTV News in a joint statement that they were recently notified of a “critically low supply of epidural catheters in Canada.”
McKeen and Filteau say manufacturers have cited supply chain issues as the reason for the shortage.
“Some companies have estimated that supply will improve significantly by September, but it is not yet certain that epidural catheters will be available in all healthcare facilities by then,” they said.
According to CAS, on average, about 50 to 60 percent of pregnant women in Canada choose an epidural when they give birth.
The society encourages patients to discuss pain management options with their healthcare provider “to determine the most appropriate plan, depending on their individual circumstances and product availability.”
Add Comment