Woman Burned at Hospital
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Connie Plumlee, a breast cancer survivor who had a double mastectomy two years ago, was having reconstruction surgery at Saint John Medical Center, when a fire broke out in the operating room, severely burning her face.
So how common is this? In a recent study it is estimated that surgical flash fires occur approximately 50 to 200 times per year in the United States., according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists. They are all totally preventable.
A failure to follow proper surgical prep technique and careless attention is most often to blame. My advice is to check on proper accreditation of both the doctor and the surgical facility before surgery.
