Chapters authored
Avoiding Fire in the Operating Suite: An Intersection of Prevention and Common Sense
The operating room (OR) is a complex environment that involves large teams and multiple competing priorities, dynamically interacting throughout the entire course of a surgical procedure. The simultaneous presence of flammable substances, volatile gases, and the frequent use of electrical current results in a potentially dangerous combination. Operating room fire (ORF) is a rare but potentially devastating occurrence. To prevent this “never event”, it is critical for institutions to establish and follow proper fire safety protocols. Adherence to proven prevention strategies and awareness of associated risk factors will help reduce the incidence of this dreaded safety event. When ORF does occur despite strict adherence to established safety protocols, the entire OR team should know the steps required to contain and extinguish the fire as well as essential measures to minimize or avoid thermal injury. If injury does occur, it is important to recognize and treat it promptly. Appropriate and honest disclosure to all injured persons and their families should be made without delay. As with all serious patient safety events, regulatory reporting and root cause determinations must take place in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. The goal of patient safety champions at each institution should be the attainment of zero incidence of ORF.
Part of the book: Vignettes in Patient Safety