In the Operating Room: Safeguarding Against Surgical Fires

The safety of operating rooms is essential because it directly affects the well-being of the staff, patients, and the whole healthcare facility. A safe operating room is crucial to ensure positive outcomes for patients and reduce the possibility of complications. For patients who are completely confident in the medical staff and hospitals, especially when they are in the most vulnerable stage being in a vulnerable state, it is vital to be proactive about safety. 

A well-designed safety protocol can protect staff from injury and ensure the hospital is operational and open. Insuring a safe operating area can help avoid costly equipment damage and facilities closures. Alongside the physical risks that are posed for patients and staff, surgical accidents can have an impact on the reputation of the hospital and its financial stability. 

Therefore, hospitals are focusing more on enhancing the safety of surgical procedures and minimizing the chance of errors or accidents occurring within operating rooms. This includes the implementation of protocols and procedures that ensure the security of patients and also investment in training and technology to avoid accidents and improve patient outcomes. For more information, visit the website!

The operating room: stopping surgical fires

Surgical fires may be as dangerous as they seem. Imagine that you awake in a hospital for post-anesthesia care (PACU) after you had a regular procedure, only to be informed that a fire erupted in the course of anesthesia. While it sounds like something straight out of a cartoon, the risks are real. Between 90 and 100 surgeries are attributed to fire throughout the United States annually, with an average of two surgical fires occurring weekly.

Although surgical fires are hazardous, they are easily avoided, and should they happen, the surgical teams have been prepared. They have prepared. NFPA 99 Code for Health Facilities includes guidelines for training all operating area (OR) personnel to prevent surgical fires. Additionally, CMS and other health accreditation organizations for health care are referred to in NFPA 99: 2012 Edition.

Risk Assessments of Surgical Fire

Before commencing a procedure and making a single cut, the group performing the surgery should carry out a Fire risk assessment (FRA). FRAs assist in identifying the riskiest elements (i.e., oxygen heat, fuel, and oxygen) and can be included in routine processes to pinpoint any other issues and perioperative assessments.

In this case, once the team has confirmed the correct surgical site and identified the patient and any allergies, the surgical FRA will be able to evaluate the specific risk and provide an assessment tool that scores the fire risk for the procedure as medium, high, or low. It is vital to establish an open discussion between the group members and to ensure that the correct procedures to avoid burns during surgery are implemented as risk reduction strategies are implemented. 

Examining three critical elements:

Heat

The energy of the surgical procedure is igniting to cause the majority of surgical fires within the patient. The most frequently used form of energy in a surgical procedure is monopolar radiofrequency, often referred to “the “Bovie.” The Bovie is a device that converts the power from radiofrequency waves to thermal energy, and the process involves heating the tissues or the device that acts as the flame’s fuel source.

Equipment such as lasers, fiberoptic light sources, and high-speed burrs are additional sources of heat that could help in the igniting of fires within an operating room. Hospitals must inform their staff about the proper use of these devices and the risks associated with each one.

Oxygen.

What does oxygen have to do with fires from surgical procedures? Oxygen can be a fantastic way to create fires, increasing the speed at which they burn and making them stronger, more massive, and more powerful. In almost all procedures, anesthesia providers give oxygen to their patients directly. The method they use to distribute oxygen is vital. 

Oxygen delivery in open systems can be more dangerous for those in the system than in closed ones (e.g., intubated patients). A variety of strategies can be utilized to limit the risk from oxygen-rich environments as well as oxygen pooling in the surrounding area of patients.

Fuel.

The control of heating sources and the speed of oxygen introduction is much more manageable. Fuel is everywhere. Everything is a source of fuel, including surgical drapes, the prep solution that’s applied directly to the patients’ surface, gauze pads, and surgical towels. 

Ensure that the prep solution is dried according to the manufacturer’s instructions, and being aware of the locations of the fuel sources could dramatically reduce the chance of fire-related injuries and enhance security in the operating room.

Training for Surgical Fire Prevention and Education

The hospitals and surgical centers must invest in training and education to ensure that surgeons, the staff, and anesthesia experts are prepared to handle surgical fire. The facility must have a strategy to prevent flames in the airway and drape fires and the possibility of fires in prep solutions and fires involving equipment that can happen in the operating room. Each facility must be educated and implement these techniques within their organizations.

The doctors must be aware of ways to deal with various flames that can occur during surgery. For example, the surgeon typically controls an airway fire inside the operating room. The anesthesia professional must stop oxygen flow before extubating the patient. If they do not, it could cause the flame to ignite the airway of the patient and then burn in the surgical area. Click here for details.

Furthermore, emergency procedures should clearly define the surgical team members and their responsibilities and roles. This will allow them to identify their roles and responsibilities in evacuation should there be an incident in the operating room. The appropriate evacuation areas must be identified and connected in the operating room. 

For example, suppose the patient has to be removed from suctioning oxygen or monitored by their condition. In that case, they need an evacuation space to accommodate oxygen suctioning, suctioning, and monitoring.