Doctors extinguish the fire that started in the patient's chest during surgery

All medical procedures carry risks, but you do not generally think that burning poses a common problem in the operating rooms. However, according to a press release, the chest of a 60 year old Australian patient caught fire during an emergency cardiac operation.

So, how exactly is it? The patient had previously been diagnosed with chronic lung disease and therefore had remaining air pockets, called medically bubbles. One of the patient's lungs was stuck to the sternum and surgeons accidentally punctured a bubble during the operation. This caused an air leak in the lungs of the man. The doctors then increased the amount of oxygen in the anesthesia of the patient to prevent breathing disorders. This mixture, combined with a nearby surgical tool to seal the wounds, caused a spark and caused the burning of a dry operating room in the patient's chest.

The fire was extinguished and the patient suffered no harm. However, his doctors have told this story as a warning to other health professionals. Although it sounds too crazy to be true, it's not the first time that a patient catches fire in the operating room. The remaining cases involved patients undergoing various operations, but all had several common factors.

"Although there are only a few documented cases of chest cavity fires – three involving thoracic surgery and three involving coronary bypass surgery – all involve the presence of dry surgical packs, electrocautery, increased concentrations of inspired oxygen, and patients with COPD or preexisting lung disease, "explained Dr. Ruth Shaylor of Austin Health in Melbourne in a statement. Shaylor was one of the surgeons of this operation and presented his report at the annual meeting of the European Society of Anesthesiology this week.