You Won't Believe What Sparked This OR Fire

[Anxious Patient]

A woman who claims that she set fire to her genitals when she broke wind during hemorrhoidectomy lost the malpractice lawsuit that she filed against her Boston-area surgeon.

The incident happened in June 2005. The woman said that she suffered burns to her anal, lady partsl and perineal areas, resulting in an infection, according to court documents. The case began routinely enough. Her skin was prepped for surgery with an alcohol-based antibacterial solution. The surgeon inserted a saline-soaked surgical sponge into her anal canal, placed a stitch with a chromic suture....

(cont.)

http://www.outpatientsurgery.net/news/2010/12/21-you-wont-believe-what-sparked-this-or-fire

[canesdukegirl, BSN, RN]

I think the scariest moment of my life (and there have been many) was when a very demanding, arrogant and stressed out surgeon was prepping a pt who was having an I&D of the buttock. We had to put him in lithotomy to get to the area, and the surgeon prepped with Duraprep (although I told him that betadine should be used on an open wound). He did not wait for the prep to dry, and as soon as we draped, he started to bovie. Guess what happened next?? Yep. Fire. We got the fire contained and the pt sustained significant burns.

The surgeon was placed on leave, and the hospital paid compensation to the pt for the burns. It was a horrible experience, and now when I have a surgeon who does not want to wait until the prep is dry, I make him drop scrub. If I have to put my hands on his sterile gloves to intentionally contaminate him, that's what I do. I have only had to use this tactic a few times since that awful day and I always tell them this incident when I explain WHY they should wait for the prep to dry. I don't care if they get mad, and actually encourage them to write me up if they so choose. The patient's welfare is much more valuable to ME than whatever schedule the surgeon has that day.

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

Thank you for being brave enough to do that for your patient. I think we can be very intimidated by the people we work with and afraid to speak up or act. Your actions are a credit to you and the profession.

[Mr. & Mrs. RN]

According to AORN, ALL surgical fires are preventable. I think the surgeon should pay for any additional costs she incurred as a result of the fire.

[CCL RN, RN]

.

. If I have to put my hands on his sterile gloves to intentionally contaminate him, that's what I do.

Yes! I've considered this tactic myself in the CCL. I've had Drs unwilling to wait for me to premedicate for contrast dye, or refuse to wait for me to anti coagulate before dropping a wire in the coronary artery.

Yes... This is what I must do, if I must do it...

[Anxious Patient]

cdgirl, and others, thanks for being such good (and brave) advocates. Any patient would be very lucky to have you take care of them. :hug: