Recalled Alcohol Pads Blamed In Two-Year-Old's Death

Earlier this year, the Triad Group recalled alcohol prep pads used in healthcare settings, warning they might be contaminated with cereus bacteria.

But the recall came too late for Sandra and Shanoop Kothari, who say in a federal suit filed in Houston that their two-year-old son, HK, died after a doctor used one of the wipes to sterilize a lumbar drain. The boy died of multiple organ failure three days later.

In the suit, the couple says HK underwent a craniotomy in Septembeer 2010, when surgeons made an incision in his skull to drain a cyst. A lumbar drain was implanted to drain fluid after the procedure.

In January, cerebrospinal fluid was drawn from the area for culturing. The later-recalled alcohol wipes were used in the procedure.

HK made steady improvement, but hours before he was scheduled to be discharged, on Nov. 29, 2010, he began vomiting and having seizures, the Kotharis say. He stopped breathing while undergoing a CT scan.

Subsequent cultures of HK's spinal fluid and blood tested positive for bacillus cereus. "Bacillus cereus is rarely found in hospital-acquired infections," the complaint states. "HK was declared dead at 12:54 p.m. on December 1, 2010 at the age of 2," his parents say. "The cause of HK's death was determined to be acute bacterial meningitis with septicemic syndrome of bacillus cereus, leading to multi-organ failure."

Triad issued its recall on Jan. 3.

The Kotharis are suing the Triad Group, seeking damages for product liability, negligence and wrongful death. They are represented by Houston attorney Jim Perdue.