Subscriptions Advertising Resources About Us Contact Us
Create An Account Retrieve Password
Trouble logging in or creating an account? click here
Home This Month Archive Surveys CE E-Mall E-Weekly Building a Facility
Search OSM
Accrediting/Quality
Anesthesia
Bariatric Surgery
Building/Renovating
Business Management
Code/Bill/Reimburse
Outpatient Surgery E-Weekly

New Sedative Closer to FDA Approval

The FDA's Advisory Committee on Anesthetic and Life Support Drugs last week recommended the approval of the IV sedative fospropofol disodium (Aquava...

Court Paves Way for Anti-markup Pathology Crackdown

CMS has been given the green light to enforce its anti-markup rule barring physicians from billing for off-site anatomic pathology services after a ...

The Incisionless Future of Bariatric Surgery

A minimally invasive bariatric procedure for patients who haven't found success with other weight loss surgeries is gaining ground in the United Sta...

Home > Archive > April 2007
When Surgery Sends Sparks Flying
A surgeon discusses lessons learned from a surgical fire that scarred more than his patient.
Dan O'Connor, Editor-in-Chief

Drrzzzt. It was the faintest click, the slight sound of sparks flying. "I realized what was happening immediately," says the surgeon. "I said to myself, 'That sounded very electrical.'" As he pulled back the drapes from the patient's face, whoosh!, a bluish flame raced across the tip of the nasal cannula. He smushed the drapes to snuff the fire. It was out in seconds, but the damage was done: The man who came to the surgery center to have fat pads removed from his lower eyelids wound up at a burn center with first- and second-degree burns to the middle of his face and one nostril.

Already have an account? Please sign in:
Email Address:
Password:
Categories: Anesthesia, Malpractice, Safety
Other Articles That May Interest You
Safety
Can You Tell Who Has Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
Teamwork Study Ranks CRNAs High, Surgeons Low
Pointers from the Pros
Free advice from outpatient surgery development experts.
47
Comment on this Article
You must be logged in to leave comments.
Recent Comments
This article has 11 comment(s).
You must be logged in to view them.