Recent issues related to tainted intravenous feeding fluid at six hospitals in 19 patients, nine of whom died, have not impacted Vaughan Regional Medical Center in Selma.

According to Vaughan Director of Community Relations Merrill South, the hospital’s IVs are not the same as those used in these hospitals.

“None of the current issues in the media are related to Vaughan Regional Medical Center,” she said. “This particular problem, as I’m sure you know, has been traced to one supplier in Birmingham.  Vaughan does not purchase from this provider. In fact, we actually mix our IV’s in-house. “

A lawsuit was filed by Barbara Young over the death of Mary Ellen Kise at a hospital in Prattville on March 15. The suit names Birmingham-based Meds IV, which health officials say manufactured the contaminated nutrient, and three of its executives.

Health officials have said they may never know whether the infections caused the deaths, since everyone who received the nutrient was seriously ill before getting it. The wrongful death lawsuit, however, blames Kise’s death on the tainted IV bags.

“The families who have lost loved ones are not only in shock and grieving their losses, but they are concerned that this problem may be more widespread than is now known,” said Jere Beasley, the Montgomery attorney representing Young in the lawsuit, filed in state court in Autauga County.

The lawsuit seeks an undetermined amount of money for what is says was negligence, recklessness and actions by the company and owner Edward Cingoranelli; president William Rogers; and sales representative Bill Vise.

Separately, a judge in Shelby County has barred Meds IV and executives from destroying any records or other material that could become evidence in court cases. The judge ruled on a request filed by the Birmingham-based Baptist Health Systems, which operates two hospitals where six patients died after receiving the feeding bags.

Of the nine people who died, all but one patient was at one of four hospitals in the Birmingham area. Kise died at Baptist Prattville, located north of Montgomery, according to the lawsuit.

State health officials said they were notified of a potential problem on March 16, and court documents show Cingoranelli signed a letter on March 24 recalling all IV products mixed by his company since Jan. 1. Health officials say bacteria Serratia marcescens was found in a milky liquid called total parenteral nutrition, which is given to seriously ill patients intravenously.

“This recall has been initiated due to potential bacterial contamination of the TPN solutions. Use of contaminated products may lead to bacterial infection of the blood,” Cingoranelli wrote.

Health officials say the company has cooperated.

with an investigation that includes federal and state agencies.