PNO-I-98-058, on 981130,informed Region I That There Was Potential Loss of nuclear-powered Cardiac Pacemeker, Containing 250 Mg of plutonium-238,which Equates to Approx 4.27 Ci.Region I Will Continue to Follow Up on Incident
| ML20196D795 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | 07001500 |
| Issue date: | 12/01/1998 |
| From: | Bhalla N, Darden T, Shanbaky M NRC OFFICE OF INSPECTION & ENFORCEMENT (IE REGION I) |
| To: | |
| References | |
| PNO-I-98-058, PNO-I-98-58, NUDOCS 9812020327 | |
| Download: ML20196D795 (1) | |
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l December 1. 1998 !
PRELIMINARY NOTIFICATION OF EVENT OR UNIJSUAL OCCURRENCE PNO-I-98-058 !
This preliminary notification constitutes EARLY notice of events of POSSIBLE !
safety or public interest significance. The information is as initially j received without verification or evaluation, and is basically all that is '
known by Region I staff in King of Prussia. Pennsylvania on this date. t Facility _ Licensee Emeroency Classification Washington Hospital Center Notification of Unusual Event 1 Washington Hospital Center Alert i 110 Irving St., N.W. Site Area Emergency Washington. District Of Columbia 20010 General Emergency l
Dockets: 07001500 License No: SNM-1446 X Not Applicable
Subject:
LOSS OF A NUCLEAR-POWERED CARDIAC PACEMAKER I
At approximately 5:00 p.m. on November 30. 1998, the Radiation Safety '
. Officer (RS0) of Washington Hospital Center informed Region I that there I was a potential loss of a nuclear-)owered cardiac pacemaker, containing '
250 milligrams of plutonium-238, w11ch ecuates to approximately 4.27 ,
curies. The pacemaker had been explantec from an expired patient at a (
funeral home on August 26. 1998 and returned to Washington Hospital i Center, the pacemaker licensee, for disposal by Washington Hospital Center. lr i
~The RSO stated that the pacemaker had been mailed to St. Jude Medical. I Inc. of Sylmar. California on September 15. 1998 via U.S. Postal Service. !
St. Jude Medical. Inc. was sup)osed to receive the pacemaker on behalf of ;
-the pacemaker vendor. On or a)out October 22, 1998, the licensee called i St.' Jude Medical for confirmation of receipt of the pacemaker. . However. !
St. Jude Medical indicated that it had not received the pacemaker. i In its search for the missing pacemaker, surveys were conducted of j various areas of the Washington Hospital Center facility, including the ,
, Postal Area. Washington Hospital Center has requested that St. Jude '
Medical. Inc. conduct an extensive search, including radiological
-surveys, of its various facilities in its continued attempts to locate
.the missing pacemaker.
Region I will' continue to follow up on the incident and is planning an
'on-site inspection. The. District of Columbia has been informed. The Reaion 1 Office of Public Affairs is prepared to respond to media
' irdi ries.
The information is current as of 2:00 p.m.. December 1. 1998.
Contact:
Neelam Bhalla Teresa Darden Mohamed Shanbaky (610)337-5188 (610)337-5245 (610)337-5209 yygoy mm - tgl..
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