Hospitals’ IV Fluid Shortage May Impact Surgeries For Weeks

NORTH CAROLINA – Surgery schedules across the U.S. may be delayed due to a supply shortage after Hurricane Helene forced the shutdown of Baxter International’s North Carolina plant, which produces 60% of the nation’s IV solutions.

Hospitals are reportedly conserving fluids and postponing non-emergency surgeries while waiting for supplies.

Efforts to ease the shortage include importing fluids and ramping up production at rival facilities, but experts say full recovery will take time.

Baxter reportedly aims to resume phased production by year’s end, but no timeline is set for returning to pre-hurricane levels.