'A very, very difficult time': Endoscopy procedures paused at Halifax hospital due to sterilization issue

A technical issue at the venerable Victoria General Hospital in Halifax has led to hundreds of delays and rescheduling of endoscopy procedures, and there's no word when the situation might be resolved.

"This has been a very, very difficult time," said Dr. Madelaine Plourde, a physician in the department of surgery told CTV News Tuesday. "Many patients are being impacted."

Endoscopies are a procedure where doctors look inside the body with a flexible tube.

Wait times vary, depending on the urgency.

The problem has been with cleaning the equipment afterwards.

"They found, what we're referring to as 'black flecks' that were in the water," said Plourde. "The black flecks have been analyzed. We're not sure what the source is.”

Procedures at the hospital were paused July 20, and officials insist no patients had procedures with affected scopes.

However, about 600 people have had procedures rebooked or delayed.

All of this is worrisome for people like Carl Myers, who has a family history of colon cancer.

"I'm not surprised," said Myers.

"It's been my experience that there's been a lot of delays over the last few years. It seems like it's getting worse."

The provincial health authority says it is contacting patients to offer them appointments with the same doctors elsewhere in HRM, or reschedule their appointments back at the QEII in the future.

The Canadian Cancer Society admits all of this is difficult for people dealing with the disease or a new diagnosis.

"Our patients and our caregivers know all too well, the stress that any delay in care has," said Heather Mulligan, the organization's advocacy manager for Atlantic Canada.

In a late day email to CTV News, Nova Scotia Health Minister Michelle Thompson said she was aware of the situation with the endoscopy equipment at the VG.

"Unfortunately, an issue with the reprocessing equipment is having an impact on patients waiting for an endoscopy procedure. I am glad to see that many appointments are able to be moved to other sites, but I am mindful of others that have had to have their appointment rescheduled, and that longer waits for procedures can take a toll on patients and their families," said Thompson.

"NSH is managing this issue and I have confidence that they are working quickly on solutions with these patients at the top of their minds."

Even with the issue, NS Health says doctors have completed 5,229 endoscopy cases at facilities in the Central Zone this year -- roughly 300 more than the same period last year.

For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.