Maryland Surgical Fires News Story

Monday night, on WBAL TV’s 11 o’clock news, a story was presented about the risk of surgical fires that can occur when operating room tools create a spark that ignites flammable materials or gases around the patient. Although these surgery fires are rare, in many cases they can be prevented and may be caused by medical malpractice.

Each year in the United States, there are approximately 600 reports of surgical fires, and about 20 to 30 of these incidents result in severe injury or death for the patient. However, many of these events are never reported, and few medical facilities have the necessary training or safety precautions in place to reduce the risk of the operating room fires.

In recent decades, the occurrence of surgical fires has increased in part due to modern electrosurgical tool sand devices, paper or synthetic drapes replacing cloth drapes and the use of pure oxygen administered to patients during surgery

The WBAL Channel 11 News story highlighted the story of Maryland resident Catherine Lake, whose mother suffered second and third degree burns as a result of a surgical fire during a 2002 operation, which ultimately led to her death two years after the accident.

Lake has created www.surgicalfires.org in an effort to provide people with information about surgical fires and how they can be prevented.

In many states operating room fires do not have to be reported and few regulations are in place to reduce the occurrence of these events. Many are calling for nationwide reporting requirements, increased education and training for hospital staff about fire prevention and preparation, as well as better communication between surgeons and anesthesiologists during operations.

Although Maryland surgical fires are supposed to be reported, WBAL TV reports that under reported.