Burned by hot speculum???

Specialties Operating Room

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Has anyone ever had a pt. burned by a lady partsl speculum that had not cooled properly?? A lady said this happened to her but I cant see how the MD or nurse incerting it would not have known it was too hot?? Just seems odd, but I am not an OR nurse....

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Specializes in Obs & gynae theatres.

Did they use a non insulated one and diathermy?

Otherwise, like you said, they would (should?) have noticed.

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Specializes in Peri-op/Sub-Acute ANP.

If the speculum was just "flashed" or taken from an instrument set that wasn't cooled completely this could happen. It is especially likely to happen if the doc and tech were double-gloved. It might have felt warm to them, but to the patient's delicate lady partsl tissue it could have been just too hot to tolerate. It's certainly something that is possible.

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