"Received for 2 Hours": Gyeongju Hospital Administers IV Solution Expired for 2 Years

No Abnormalities Found in Blood Tests
"We Deeply Apologize for Causing Concern"

A general hospital in Gyeongju has issued an apology after administering intravenous fluid that had expired two years earlier to a patient.

A child receiving intravenous therapy at a pediatric specialty hospital in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. This is a stock photo unrelated to the article. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

According to Yonhap News on May 5, a general hospital in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, administered 500ml of intravenous fluid to a patient, identified as Mr. A, who had been admitted in early April.

Two hours after the infusion began, Mr. A noticed that the expiration date on the fluid was January 12, 2024, and reported this to a nurse. By then, Mr. A had already received approximately 60ml of the intravenous fluid.

The hospital immediately stopped the infusion and conducted blood tests and other examinations to check for any abnormalities in Mr. A. The patient did not exhibit any particular symptoms. However, it was reported that Mr. A remains anxious about the potential for unforeseen complications.

The hospital admitted to Yonhap News that the expired intravenous fluid had indeed been administered. After the incident, the hospital conducted a thorough inspection and confirmed that no additional expired intravenous fluid was found. The hospital said, "We deeply apologize for causing concern and distress due to this regrettable incident, which should never have happened during hospitalization." They added, "We will carefully monitor the patient's health condition and treatment plan."

Previously, another general hospital caused controversy after administering intravenous fluid that had expired by four months to a three-year-old child. In February, a resident of Jeonju, North Jeolla Province, identified as Mr. B, found that intravenous fluid given to his three-year-old daughter with a high fever of 40 degrees Celsius in an emergency room had an expiration date of October 2025. The problematic fluid was sodium chloride solution, commonly known as saline.

The hospital explained that it was "the only instance" and stated that the nurse who failed to check the expiration date bore significant responsibility. The nurse who administered the expired fluid was reportedly a new employee with less than two months on the job. In its statement of apology, the hospital said, "No bacterial contamination was found," but added, "The effects of using expired intravenous fluid cannot be known."

Meanwhile, expired medical products should not be displayed or used, as they may be harmful to the human body. Health authorities announced plans to investigate the overall management of pharmaceuticals at the hospital in question.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.