NORTHAMPTON — The far-reaching destruction of Hurricane Helene has generated a national shortage of IV fluids commonly used in hospitals, leading Cooley Dickinson Hospital and the rest of the Mass General Brigham system to postpone some elective surgeries through Wednesday.

According to Adam Bagni, a spokesperson for Mass General Brigham, the deferment of some non-emergency, “elective procedures requiring certain IV fluids” began on Sunday, but that there is currently no knowledge of when the IV fluids supply will improve.

“While we strive to minimize any impact on patients, these measures will ensure we are able to care for those in immediate need,” Bagni said in a statement sent to the Gazette. “We are contacting affected patients and will work to reschedule them as soon as we are able.”

In this statement, Bagni wrote that the decision to defer these procedures was a difficult one, and that Mass General Brigham is closely monitoring the situation with hopes to return to normal operations as soon as possible.

Across the country, other hospitals have also been postponing elective surgeries for several days to conserve IV fluid reserves, including the UVA Health University Medical Center in Charlottesville, Va., and Enloe Health in Chico, Calif. Others are doing their best to maintain IV fluid stores through other conservation strategies.

At this time, Baystate Health has not implemented surgical restrictions. According to Heather Duggan, a spokesperson for Baystate, they recognize that the supply chain challenges will likely continue for the next few months, and “are actively monitoring and evaluating” their on-hand supplies daily. 

“We continue to take proactive steps in collaboration with clinical, operational, and supply chain leaders to ensure we continue to meet our patients’ needs,” said Duggan in a statement sent to the Gazette. 

During a press conference earlier this month, Paul Biddinger, chief preparedness and continuity officer for Mass General Brigham, explained that the shortage is due to Hurricane Helene’s impact on Baxter International Inc.’s facility in Marion, North Carolina, which manufactures about 60% of the IV fluids and other medical fluids used throughout the country.

The facility has been temporarily closed due to damages sustained during the hurricane, but a recent update from Baxter stated that they hope to return production to 90% or more by the end of this year. But in the meantime, according to a letter sent by Baxter to hospitals nationwide, many of its products can only be allocated to 40% of their normal levels.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has since declared a national shortage of Dextrose 70% IV Solution, Lactated Ringers IV Solution, and Peritoneal Dialysis Solution, common IV fluids used by hospitals.

These fluids are used to keep patients hydrated and stable during inpatient care and surgeries, and some affected IV fluids are frequently used by patients who require dialysis.

Biddinger stated that this situation is similar to what Mass General Brigham experienced in 2017 in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, which “similarly caused a months-long shortage across the country for IV fluids.” He noted that patients will still receive IV fluids when they need them, such as those with limited kidney function who require frequent dialysis, while conservation methods will limit the use of IV fluids for patients who could safely use oral hydration such as drinking Gatorade or water instead.

Additionally, Mass General Brigham staff are no longer preparing IV bags “just in case,” said Biddinger. Instead, they are ensuring that any prepared bags of fluid will not go to waste.

These conservation methods were implemented “early,” according to Biddinger, with hopes of miti gating the impacts of this supply cha in disruption.

Currently, the FDA is working with Baxter’s other facilities to prevent further shortages until production of the disrupted products can begin once more.

Bagni’s statement noted that elective surgeries will be postponed “at least” through Wednesday as officials and staff continue to monitor the situation and assess the need to conserve IV resources.

Alexa Lewis can be reached at alewis@gazettenet.com.