Mad Cow at Froedtert?

Initially, media were reporting that a patient operated on at Froedtert Hospital may be suffering from mad cow disease.

From the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

Froedtert Hospital has closed its operating rooms and cancelled scheduled procedures today after physicians learned that a patient who underwent surgery on Monday may have Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

...Hospital officials announced the closure this morning, and noted that the probability of the patient having Creutzfeldt-Jakob is very low.

As a precaution, hospital staff has been resterilizing all instruments used since Monday.

The instruments used in the surgery were entered into the normal sterilization process, but that will not affect the germs associated with Creutzfeldt-Jakob.

What a nightmare!

Imagine having surgery scheduled for today and being told it's not going to happen.

Worse, imagine having had surgery at the hospital in the past few days and worrying about exposure to Creutzfeldt-Jakob in addition to dealing with your other health issues and recovery.

I really hope this patient doesn't have Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.
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Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease is NOT the human form of mad cow disease. However, like mad cow, it is a prion disease.