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Real case examples

Child surgical-fire burns case involving MAK Anesthesia and oxygen management

This complaint states as follows: Negligence here is plain: During a routine outpatient procedure to remove a tiny benign lesion from the eyelid of a little girl, the anesthesiologist failed to reduce and clear the oxygen-rich air in the surgical field, so that a fire broke out over the girl’s face when the surgeon turned on an electric cautery. As a result, the patient suffered serious burns, underwent skin-graft surgery, still receives therapy for PTSD, and expects to have additional surgeries.

System
MAK Anesthesia
Facility
Surgical setting; specific facility not identified in current summary
Providers involved
MAK Anesthesia, LLC / Anesthesiologist / Surgeon
Pattern
Outpatient eyelid procedure followed by surgical fire when oxygen-rich air was not reduced and cleared before cautery
Harm
Serious facial burns, skin-graft surgery, PTSD, and expected future surgeries

Overview

This page concerns a routine outpatient eyelid procedure in a child where oxygen-rich air allegedly was not reduced and cleared from the surgical field before the surgeon activated electric cautery, causing a fire over the child’s face.

Chronology

  1. A little girl underwent a routine outpatient procedure to remove a tiny benign lesion from her eyelid.
  2. The anesthesiologist failed to reduce and clear oxygen-rich air in the surgical field.
  3. When the surgeon turned on an electric cautery, a fire broke out over the girl’s face.
  4. The patient suffered serious burns, underwent skin-graft surgery, still receives therapy for PTSD, and expects additional surgeries.

Alleged failures

  • The anesthesiologist allegedly failed to reduce and clear oxygen-rich air in the surgical field before cautery was used.
  • The surgeon and anesthesiologist allegedly failed to coordinate safely before activating electric cautery near an oxygen-rich field.
  • The resulting surgical fire allegedly caused serious facial burns, skin-graft surgery, PTSD treatment, and expected future surgeries.

Entities and tags

MAK Anesthesia, LLCAnesthesiologistSurgeonElectric cauterySurgical fieldSkin-graft surgeryPTSDSurgical fireCommunication failureOxygen management failureBurn injuryAnesthesiologyOutpatient surgeryPediatric surgery

Questions this example answers

What does the MAK Anesthesia surgical-fire burns allege?

This complaint states as follows: Negligence here is plain: During a routine outpatient procedure to remove a tiny benign lesion from the eyelid of a little girl, the anesthesiologist failed to reduce and clear the oxygen-rich air in the surgical field, so that a fire broke out over the girl’s face when the surgeon turned on an electric cautery. As a result, the patient suffered serious burns, underwent skin-graft surgery, still receives therapy for PTSD, and expects to have additional surgeries.

Who is identified in this public case example?

This public case example identifies MAK Anesthesia, LLC, Anesthesiologist, and Surgeon. It also tags the source-supported entities MAK Anesthesia, LLC, Anesthesiologist, Surgeon, Electric cautery, and Surgical field.

What alleged failures are summarized here?

The anesthesiologist allegedly failed to reduce and clear oxygen-rich air in the surgical field before cautery was used. The surgeon and anesthesiologist allegedly failed to coordinate safely before activating electric cautery near an oxygen-rich field. The resulting surgical fire allegedly caused serious facial burns, skin-graft surgery, PTSD treatment, and expected future surgeries.