A flash fire occurred during a procedure in a Florida operating room, inflicting serious burns on a woman’s neck and face.
Kim Grice, 29, of Holt, FL, was having three cysts removed from her head for biopsy after suffering from headaches, Tuesday.
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During the outpatient procedure, a flash fire broke out at the Crestview Surgery Center in Crestview, FL, severely burning Grice on her head and neck.
According to New York Daily News, Grice was not awake during the procedure; the hysterical surgical team awoke her.
Grice’s mother, was in the waiting room when the Crestview Fire Department arrived, knowing there was a 50/50 chance that the team was there for her daughter because there were only two patients in the facility.
An employee of North Okaloosa Medical Center, an affiliate of the Crestview Medical Center, told the Crestview Bulletin, that Grice was wearing an oxygen mask while the doctor was using a cauterizing tool, and the flash fire started.
Grice was flown to University of South Alabama Medical Center’s Burn Unit by emergency personnel.
It is reported that approximately 650 operating room fires happen across the United States every year, which are often the result of three elements such as oxygen, alcohol prep and an ignition source, such as the cauterizing tool, according to MSNBC.com.
“The hospital deeply regrets today’s event in which a patient sustained burns during a procedure in our ambulatory surgery center,” stated a spokesperson of North Okaloosa Medical Center. “We are conducting a thorough review to fully understand what happened in a deliberate effort to prevent such an event from occurring again. Our highest priority is always the safety of our patients.”
This story contains information from NewYorkCity.injuryboard.com
