Fail-Safe Options for Low Levels of Liquid Nitrogen at Fertility Clinics
At the beginning of March, two fertility clinics on opposite sides of the country coincidentally experienced similar cryogenic tank failures that could have cost them their businesses – and have already cost them lawsuits from heartbroken patients.
The Pacific Fertility Center in San Francisco reported on March 4 that malfunctioning Liquid Nitrogen storage tanks had potentially damaged thousands of frozen eggs and embryos. Around 400 patients with the hopes of conceiving a child were directly affected by this mishap. On the same day, the University Hospital Fertility Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio reported nearly exactly the same issue with their fertility fridges, which affected 700 of their patients. At least one couple has sued the University Hospital Fertility Clinic for their damaged eggs, which has left them once again with the inability to conceive a child.
Fluctuating temperatures and low levels of Liquid Nitrogen in these tanks went undetected until the end of the day. By the time the issue had come to the attention of medical staff, thousands of eggs and embryos had begun to thaw, resulting in damaged tissue. An emergency filling was called for and many of the specimens were transferred to backup cryogenic tanks on site. Not all of the frozen eggs and embryos were compromised, but the malfunction will require many of the specimens to be tested to ensure they are still viable for in vitro fertilization. Some of the clinics’ patients had been storing their eggs at these locations for up to 10 years. These incidents have sparked both of these clinics – and should spark all fertility clinics – to take as many precautions as possible to protect the livelihoods of their clients who hope to start families one day. Additional alarms have since been installed, but all fertility clinics and hospitals must have reliable atmospheric gas providers who are always available when emergencies like this strike. The full story can be read here.
Emergency Liquid Nitrogen Fillings in the Rocky Mountain Region
At Rocky Mountain Air, our dedication to flawless dependability means that we are ready to react quickly and efficiently if your Liquid Nitrogen tanks or liquid cylinders reach dangerously low levels that could compromise the success and every day operations of your business. Our staff is on call 24/7 in case of medical emergencies. It is our promise to ensure that your business is always running efficiently at all hours of the day. With our medical emergency 24-hour on-call service, we can lessen the burden on your staff, and the worry of patients that their eggs, embryos or sperm samples could be compromised. If your hospital or clinic goes into panic mode, give us a call and we will deploy a truck to refill your Liquid Nitrogen tanks or change out your liquid cylinders. We will be there to protect your biologic specimen whether you are one of our customers or are working with one of our competitors.
Contact your local Rocky Mountain Air Solutions branch today in any one of our five states to learn more about our 24-hour on-call option and how we might help your hospital or clinic prevent this risk.
