Incidental operating room fire from a breathing circuit warmer system: a case report. 2021

Wangseok Do, and Dahyun Kang, and Purna Hong, and Hyae-Jin Kim, and Jiseok Baik, and Dowon Lee
Biomedical Research Institute, Pusan National University Hospital, Busan, 49241, Republic of Korea.

An airway-associated fire in an operating room can have devastating consequences for patients. Breathing circuit warmers (BCWs) are widely used to provide heated and humidified anesthetic gases and eventually prevent hypothermia during general anesthesia. Herein, we describe a case of a BCW-related airway fire. In this case, an electrical short within a BCW wire caused a fire inside the circuit. Simultaneously, the fire was extinguished, ventilation was stopped, and the endotracheal tube was disconnected from the BCW. The patient was exposed to the fire for less than 10 s, resulting in burns to the trachea and bronchi. Immediately after airway burn, bronchoscopy showed no edema or narrowing except for soot in the trachea and both main bronchus. After the inhalation burn event, prophylactic antibiotics, bronchodilator, mucolytics nebulizer, and corticosteroid nebulizer were started. On bronchoscopy 3 days after the inhalation burn, mucosal erythematous edema was observed and the inflammatory reaction worsened. The inflammatory reaction showed aggravation for up to 2 weeks, and then gradually recovered, and the epithelium and mucous membrane of the upper respiratory tract returned to normal after 4 weeks. Eventually, the patient recovered without long-term complications and was successfully discharged. This is the first report of a fire caused by BCW. We wanted to share our experience of how we responded to an airway-related fire in an OR and treated the patient. It cannot be overemphasized that the electrical medical appliance associated with the airways are fatal to the patient in the event of a fire, so caution should always be exercised.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007442 Intubation, Intratracheal A procedure involving placement of a tube into the trachea through the mouth or nose in order to provide a patient with oxygen and anesthesia. Intubation, Endotracheal,Endotracheal Intubation,Endotracheal Intubations,Intratracheal Intubation,Intratracheal Intubations,Intubations, Endotracheal,Intubations, Intratracheal
D009873 Operating Rooms Facilities equipped for performing surgery. Operating Room,Room, Operating,Rooms, Operating
D001980 Bronchi The larger air passages of the lungs arising from the terminal bifurcation of the TRACHEA. They include the largest two primary bronchi which branch out into secondary bronchi, and tertiary bronchi which extend into BRONCHIOLES and PULMONARY ALVEOLI. Primary Bronchi,Primary Bronchus,Secondary Bronchi,Secondary Bronchus,Tertiary Bronchi,Tertiary Bronchus,Bronchi, Primary,Bronchi, Secondary,Bronchi, Tertiary,Bronchus,Bronchus, Primary,Bronchus, Secondary,Bronchus, Tertiary
D001999 Bronchoscopy Endoscopic examination, therapy or surgery of the bronchi. Bronchoscopic Surgical Procedures,Surgical Procedures, Bronchoscopic,Bronchoscopic Surgery,Surgery, Bronchoscopic,Bronchoscopic Surgeries,Bronchoscopic Surgical Procedure,Bronchoscopies,Surgeries, Bronchoscopic,Surgical Procedure, Bronchoscopic
D002059 Burns, Inhalation Burns of the respiratory tract caused by heat or inhaled chemicals. Inhalation Burns,Burn, Inhalation,Inhalation Burn
D005260 Female Females
D005390 Fires Combustion or burning in which substances combine chemically with oxygen typically giving out bright light, heat, and smoke. Fire
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000369 Aged, 80 and over Persons 80 years of age and older. Oldest Old
D014132 Trachea The cartilaginous and membranous tube descending from the larynx and branching into the right and left main bronchi. Tracheas

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