SEDL / STP / STP1040-EB / STP24940S

Oxygen-Enriched Fires During Surgery of The Head and Neck

Bruley, ME
Director of the Accident and Forensic Investigation GroupSenior Project Engineer, ECRI, PA

Lavanchy, C
Director of the Accident and Forensic Investigation GroupSenior Project Engineer, ECRI, PA

Pages: 14    Published: Jan 1989

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Abstract

Presented is an overview of ECRI's investigations of intraoperative fires concentrating on oxygen- and nitrous oxide-enriched fires, the common medical devices that act as ignition sources, and the combustible substances that are present during surgery. A comparative evaluation of surgical draping materials, specifically including testing for flame spread rates and ignitability in standard atmospheres and ignitabllity in oxygen-enriched atmospheres, was performed and published by ECRI in 1986. A summary of their flammabllity findings is presented, along with a discussion of the oxygen-enriched atmosphere phenomenon of surface fiber flame propagation on reusable surgical textiles. Recommendations are made for minimizing the risk of surgical fires, including special precautions for prevention of fires from surgical lasers.