Surgical Fires and Ways to Lower Your Risk

When a person requires surgery, it is not uncommon for that person to worry about their procedure and the things that might go wrong if there is a complication or if a surgeon makes a mistake. However, most surgery patients do not worry about surgical fires because the majority of people have never heard of this type of problem occurring during surgery, since most cases go unreported. In fact, very few hospitals even include information about the possibility of surgical fires in surgery release forms, keeping patients in the dark about this terrifying hazard. According to the Emergency Care Research Institute, about 600 fires occur during surgical procedures each year in the United States, a number that is definitely inaccurate because most states do not require hospitals to report fires occurring in operating rooms. During surgical procedures involving oxygen and surgical tools, such as lasers or drills, there is a high possibility that a fire may start if one of those tools creates a spark. If a spark is produced, it is possible for cloth, paper, alcohol-based antiseptics and even the patient to catch fire. If the mask covering the patient’s face ignites, the possibility for injury increases because the fire may follow the oxygen flowing into the patient’s nose and throat.

Surgical fires occur most often during surgeries involving the head and neck because the oxygen source is extremely close to the tools being used and items that may catch fire. Unfortunately, when a fire ignites near the head or neck, the injuries incurred can be extremely painful and may disfigure a person for life. One way to lower the risk that a fire will ignite during a surgical procedure is by talking with your doctor before your surgery to ensure that your doctor is aware of the possibility of fires in the operating room. By doing this, doctors may reconsider the amount of oxygen that is going to be used during the surgery and the types of materials and liquids used before and during the procedure. Sharing your concerns with your surgeon will make him or her aware that fire prevention is important to you and prompt them to use more caution when working with tools that may produce a spark. Injuries incurred during surgery may be the result of a complication or negligence on the part of a doctor or hospital employee. If you or a loved one was injured by surgical malpractice in New York, call or e-mail the attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. Our experienced surgery malpractice attorneys serve clients with Bronx surgical malpractice, Brooklyn surgical malpractice, Queens surgical malpractice, Nassau surgical malpractice and Suffolk surgical malpractice cases. Call today and let us evaluate the facts of your situation and answer any questions you may have regarding your case.

Call us toll-free 1-877-ASK4SAM and visit www.ask4sam.net