Thursday, September 17, 2009

OR Fires and Pacemaker Implants

"What we've been advocating for years is that the open delivery of oxygen under the drapes essentially has to stop," with some exceptions such as cardiac pacemaker surgery or operations involving a neck artery, Bruley said.
-Associated Press


Most pacemaker and defibrillator implants I know occur with one side of the drape lifted, so the patient can see and interact with the nurse or anethesiologist during a pacemaker or defibrillator implant and oxygen cannot collect beneath the drape. But in the case of a patient being draped so the drape remains completely covering the patient's face during deeper sedation, I could see how such a horrible thing could happen.

Sheesh. Be careful out there.

-Wes

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