CDC Alert: Use Only Sterile Ultrasound Gel for Percutaneous Procedures-Improper Use of Ultrasound Gel Risks Patient Safety

The following information is being provided to you as an AHVAP member as part of our partnership with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

CDC is assisting with an ongoing multistate investigation involving use of non-sterile ultrasound gel for ultrasound-guided percutaneous procedures (procedures that involve skin or tissue puncture). Product testing identified Paraburkholderia fungorum (formerly Burkholderia fungorum) from two non-sterile ultrasound gel products. Genetically similar isolates of P. fungorum were also detected primarily from patient blood cultures; some of these patients were known to have undergone ultrasound-guided percutaneous procedures prior to culture collection. 

Use of non-sterile ultrasound gel for percutaneous procedures risks patient safety. 

Healthcare Providers 

• Select the right product: Only use single-use ultrasound gel products labeled as “sterile” for ultrasonography in preparation for or during percutaneous procedures. 
• Train personnel: Personnel who perform ultrasounds and ultrasound-associated procedures should be trained in the appropriate use of ultrasound gel products. 
• Review the label: An ultrasound gel product label’s claim of “bacteriostatic” or “preservative” without a specific indication of sterility should be considered “non-sterile” for clinical purposes. 

Use of non-sterile ultrasound gel for percutaneous procedures could result in patient harm. These risks are not limited to scenarios where there is known product contamination, as microorganisms may be present in non-sterile products in general. Learn more HERE.

Facilities: Report any adverse events or quality problems experienced with the use of ultrasound gel products to the product manufacturer and FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program.

For current outbreak information, visit: Alert: Use Only Sterile Ultrasound Gel for Percutaneous Procedures.