This is really scary. I didn't even know what surgical fires were. They are situations where patients will actually catch fire, and can cause 2nd- and 3rd-degree burns.
Here is a link to the article about Surgical Fires. You can also visit
http://surgicalfire.org/ for more information.
It is pretty messed up when you go into a operating room and sign the waiver explaining the possible things that can happen to you, and surgical fires is not one of them.
When you come out of your surgery, you realize that your face is disfigured by a surgical fire. You have second- and third-degree burns to your face. Both of your eyes are burned, the inside your nose and your mouth are burned, and your back is also burned.
Sinai Hospital anesthesiologist, Dr. James Pepple, said that most accidents happen when oxygen is flowing and a surgical tool, such as a laser creates a spark. The spark can then ignite the flammable items surrounding a patient, including alcohol-based antiseptics, paper, and surgical drapes. Even a person's hair can catch fire.
According to the article, surgical fires are rarely talked about, but there are approximately 600 fires during operation that are reported annually. The actual number could be considerably higher because many states don't require hospitals to report fires in the operating room.
Surgical fires are most common in head and neck surgeries, because all three fire elements -- air, heat and fuel -- are in close proximity.
Some of the ways you can prevent this surgical fire is to have a talk with your doctor about fire prevention, which may include using less oxygen or no oxygen during the procedure. You can also request a non-alcohol-based skin prep, such as betadyne.
Here is a
YouTube news video on the subject. But be warned, it is pretty graphic. That is why I am not posting it directly.
After reading the article and watching the video, I would be half scared to enter a surgery.Should doctors be forced to notify patients of the possibility of surgical fires during operations? Are you surprised by the number of incidents that did take place?
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Comments (19)
Woah, this is crazy. They're not even required to report them?! That's ridiculous! I didn't even know surgical fires could happen, that just makes me more nervous if I ever had to go!
That's fucking scary!
They should be notifying patients of the risk, yes. Especially if they're having a higher-risk surgery (head and/or neck, apparently).
when i was in the OR doing a day of observation for my nursing clinicals, they had a machine that they attached to you that would prevent burns on a patient. i dont remember what it was called but it was the first time i ever heard of that possibility. crazy stuff though
I saw that happen on TV once or twice...
Definitely scary, and definitely an applicable risk.
Ugh. Makes me NEVER want to have surgery...
I've been in surgical rotations for Nursing School and although it sounds stupid that that is not included on the waiver.. anything can happen. I mean, if they are going to include surgical fires they might as well include the possibility that an terrorist could hit the building while they are under going surgery and kill them.
And if you want to talk to your doctor about receiving less oxygen or NO oxygen at all while being operated on whenever the anasthesia depressing your respiratory system then go for it.. but I think I'd rather take the chance that I'd catch on fire than to take a bigger risk of dying from respiratory depression or a horrible infection because my doctor didn't use the correct solutions on me preoperatively to kill the bacteria.
I promise you, the numbers for surgical infection is much higher than fires.
@bittersweetstrength@xanga - I agree completely. Oxygen isn't something surgeons and anesthesiologists use just for the hell of it.
I also agree that notifying patients of this potential risk is a good idea, but it needs to be done properly. I'm sure there's a clause in every surgical waiver that DOES cover this, it's just not implicitly stated. Clauses like "and all other risks" definitely cover surgical fires.
I think it should be important that people considering surgery are informed about this. This is the first time I've ever heard of that happening.
I've had three surgeries, and I've never been warned of this.
Did it ever occur to anyone that this is for the patient's own good?
There are tons of weird and crazy risks for surgery, that happen to A SMALL FRACTION of patients, like surgical fires.
Going into surgery is nerve racking enough. The doctors really don't need to scare people over freak occurrences that probably won't happen to them in the first place. That's coming from someone who knows how scary it is to have surgery in the first place.
=X
I think it's so unlikely that you're only scaring people. If you pick a good, responsible surgeon in the first place, nothing like this should happen.
When I had my surgery(8 hours in the OR, 23 inches of scars, 4 pounds of hardware attached to my spine), I was already worried enough about just having the surgery. I was completely terrified. I didn't need to worry about catching on fire, and if someone would have even put the idea in my head before then, I probably would've slapped them.
@hann_ah_mazing@xanga - I agree so much. I've been there, going to the hospital at dawn, running through the preps, and being completely terrified. I wouldn't want someone warning me about something like that.
Hmm.....get a surgery I need that may save my life, or worry about the chance of burning myself and skip the much needed surgery. Decisions decisions!
....Nope. Scare tactic didn't work. Interesting to read, but doesn't make me worry.
this makes me never want to have surgery . this is so scary >.<
and so unknown! this definatly shud be told to patients as a risk factor....
@hann_ah_mazing@xanga - You make a good point. If the doctors scare the shit out of you and you read too much into it and decide not to have the surgery, you will be worse off. Shit, just walking on the street is a risk. Some stuff needs doesn't need to be told.
You make good sense. I've had 3 surgeries myself and they were major ones and I am glad nobody told me any of this foolishness.
And you're right about infection too. That's what'll kill ya' quick.
this is so scary. i would never want this to happen to me.
Yes it is important! It's super scary O_O
In comparison to the number of surgeries performed annually, surgical fires do not occur that often. If it was a great risk to patients I would understand the need for more awareness. Some things are best left unsaid for peace of mind. :)
Whoa I never even imagined that happening!! But it really doesn't happen too often though...