Surgeries resume at VA Medical Center in Denver metro area after equipment residue investigation

Surgeries resumed Monday at the VA Medical Center in Aurora months after medical equipment was found with a residue. That halted all surgical operations at the hospital located on the Anschutz Medical Campus. 

In May, the Veterans Affairs secretary told CBS News Colorado that no patients were harmed. 

The VA said that during pre-surgery inspections, a residue was found on some reusable medical equipment. After staff identified the concern there was a temporary cancelation of those surgeries. 

Engineers, the sterile processing service and clinical staff worked to identify the cause of the residue to keep it from happening again. Samples of the residue were tested and all equipment was cleaned and sterilized. 

After the initial discovery, the VA hospital rescheduled or referred to community hospitals for 181 surgeries and 52 dental appointments.