Surgical fire in the United States: 2000-2020.
Grauer JS, Kana LA, Alzouhayli SJ, et al. Surgical fire in the United States: 2000–2020. Surgery. 2022;173(2):357-364. doi:10.1016/j.surg.2022.10.015.
Surgical fires, while rare, can result in the injury, permanent disability, or death of patients or healthcare workers. Between 2000 and 2020, 565 surgical fires resulting in injury were reported to the FDA’s Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience (MAUDE) database. Fires were most likely to occur during upper aerodigestive tract and head and neck surgeries; these were also most likely to result in life-threatening injury.