The hospital where I work is experiencing a shortage in the evacuated glass thoracentesis collection bottles. What I have heard is that the company that makes them was shut down by the FDA or something to that extent. Working in the ICU this issue became quite frustrating when I was helping a doctor do a bedside thoracentesis and we only had 1 bottle on the entire unit (we needed more than one).
My question is, has anyone else out there noticed this particular shortage? If so, how is the hospital you work for bridging the gap? I have to think there is more than one company out there that makes these bottles, but that was the impression I was given. There is the collection bag that comes with the thoracentesis tray, but what if you need to collect more fluid than even it will allow?