HIP and knee replacement operations have been cancelled for patients across East Lancashire after urgent repairs were required to a suite of surgical theatres.

Letters were sent out to a number of people booked in for the joint procedures after problems were detected with an air flow system within the theatres department at the Burnley General Hospital site at the end of November.

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Four theatres were initially taken out of action after the issue was identified by engineers, according to bosses at the East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust.

In accordance with surgical procedures, the air within the operating theatre environment must remain sterile to minimise the risks of infection.

Two theatres are said to have reopened at the start of this week and the remaining two locations are expected to be recommissioned shortly.

The wife of one East Lancashire patient, who asked not to be named, highlighted the shutdown after being contacted by the hospitals trust just prior to a scheduled operation.

She said: “My husband was due to go in for a hip replacement then we received this letter telling us it had to be postponed.

“One of our friends works there as a health care assistant and all we were told was that it was something to do with the air conditioning system. Now we’re waiting for a new appointment.”

Dr Damian Riley, the hospitals trust’s medical director, said: “During our routine monitoring processes we have become aware of an issue related to the speed of air flow within one of our theatre suites at Burnley General Hospital.

“As a result we temporarily suspended joint replacement surgery at BGH whilst we sought complete assurance that there had been no lapses in infection prevention processes.

“We have re-scheduled some joint replacement surgery into theatres where these assurances have been provided and when full assurance has been gained for all theatres,normal activity will resume.

“Patients who have had their surgery postponed have been contacted and are being offered alternative dates as soon as possible.

“Patient safety is always our number one priority and we apologise to those affected for the inconvenience.”

The development has come as a blow to the trust after it launched its new hip and knee school for joint replacement patients at the end of last month.

For joint replacement surgery in East Lancashire, the majority of patients will be referred to Burnley General, where several surgical theatres were upgraded four years ago.