Defective Tubing Is Linked to Illnesses

Defective tubing used to transmit blood to and from a dialysis machine is believed to be the cause of illnesses reported in three states, including the deaths of two people in Maryland. The company that makes the tubing issued a recall, and dialysis centers where dozens of patients became sick in Nebraska, Massachusetts and Maryland shut down temporarily. Tests showed a blockage where the plastic tubing is joined with a cartridge the size of a deck of cards, said Dr. Tom Safranek, the state epidemiologist in Nebraska.