J Anesth. 2013 Aug 30. [Epub ahead of print]
Management of a fire in the operating room.
Source
Department of Anesthesiology, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, LA, USA.Abstract
Operating
room (OR) fires remain a significant source of liability for anesthesia
providers and injury for patients, despite existing practice guidelines
and other improvements in operating room safety. Factors contributing
to OR fires are well understood and these occurrences are generally
preventable. OR personnel must be familiar with the fire triad which
consists of a fuel supply, an oxidizing agent, and an ignition source.
Existing evidence shows that OR-related fires can result in significant
patient complications and malpractice
claims. Steps to reduce fires include taking appropriate safety
measures before a patient is brought to the OR, taking proper preventive
measures during surgery, and effectively managing fire and patient
complications when they occur. Decreasing the incidence of fires should
be a team effort involving the entire OR personnel, including surgeons,
anesthesia providers, nurses, scrub technologists, and administrators.
Communication and coordination among members of the OR team is essential
to creating a culture of safety.
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