A hospital cancelled two-thirds of its operations after problems within the process used to sterilize equipment.
Birmingham's Royal Orthopaedic Hospital cancelled 31 of 47 operations and is set to cancel others on Friday.
A hospital spokeswoman said they were "taking the very cautious approach" after tests showed water quality in a washer machine was not up to standard.
Instruments are heated after washing so patients who had operations recently need not be concerned, she added.
The spokeswoman said surgical scalpels and operating equipment went through a complex washing and heating process before they were reused.
The water quality issue was caused by a problem with one of the filters on a washer machine.
Some operations have been able to go ahead because the equipment is being sterilized at the city's Selly Oak Hospital.
The situation is expected to be resolved by early next week, the spokeswoman added.
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