Two women who delivered babies at Mary Rutan hospital in Bellefontaine, Ohio on May 21, 2009 had spinal anesthesia, commonly known as an epidural.  They also received something else that was entirely unexpected--a life threatening infection that killed one of them.

Despite earlier warnings and notices sent from the Centers For Disease control to hospitals nationally, the anesthesiologist who performed the spinal anesthesia procedure was not wearing a mask to prevent the spread of germs to patients.  The anesthesiologist turned out to be a carrier of bacterial meningitis, which quickly infected both women.

The bacteria, which in this case was colonized in the doctor's mouth, was able to infect the women through the needle inserted near their spine, contaminating their spinal fluid and brain tissue.

f you are having spinal anesthesia, regardless of the procedure you are having, insist that the anesthesia provider (and other staff) wear a mask.