Five former patients filed a class-action lawsuit against a physician-owned urology clinic in South Dakota last week after state health officials announced that the facility may have exposed patients to bloodborne infections by reusing equipment.

A routine inspection by the South Dakota Health Department revealed that staff at the Siouxland Urgoloy Center had been reusing sterile saline bags, tubing and other single-use supplies used in cystoscopies over the past 7 years. "They told the inspectors that this was a common practice all over the country," state health official Bob Stahl told CNN. "We disagreed and told them this was not a common practice." The center, located in Dakota Dunes, was put on a provisional license and ordered to notify about 5,700 former patients of their potential exposure to HIV and hepatitis B and C.

A statement on the center???s Web site says the infection risk is "very minimal" and "we are unaware of any blood infections in our patients caused by the cystoscopy practice we previously used." Patients reportedly "jammed" the center last Friday after it announced free blood tests for those who had undergone cystoscopies there since 2002.

Meanwhile, 5 former patients, all Iowa residents, filed suit against the center and its 6 physician-owners on 10 counts, including negligence, medical malpractice, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, battery and fraudulent misrepresentation, according to a news report. Damages could exceed $5 million if the complaint is given class-action status.

—Irene Tsikitas