Abstract
To the Editor .—We are reporting the occurrence of an intraoperative fire that occurred during a routine tracheostomy performed under local anesthesia. The patient had an inoperable lingual carcinoma and was to undergo a tracheostomy to secure her airway. The patient wore neither perfume nor hairspray on the day of surgery. A malodorous smell that emanated from the oropharynx was attributed to the necrotic tumor. After cleansing the anterior aspect of the neck with an alcohol pad, 1% lidocaine with 1:100000 epinephrine solution was infiltrated. The patient was then routinely prepared with betadine scrub and solution followed by draping with four cotton towels. A towel was placed loosely over the patient's face. A paper drape was placed over the patient's body and extended cranially along both sides of the head. A single cloth towel remained exposed at the superior aspect of the operative field. Supplemental oxygen was provided from the
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Archives of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
