Editor's Note A new Sentinel Event Alert from The Joint Commission focuses on the continuing dangers of surgical fires, why they occur, and how to take preventative measures. The alert was issued on October 18. Some highlights include: There is no national repository collecting data on surgical fires, and little…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on July 11, identified the recall by Megadyne of its Mega 2000 and Mega Soft reusable patient return electrodes as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated after Megadyne received reports of pediatric and adult patients receiving burn injuries during…
The use of electrosurgical instrumentation is common in minimally invasive surgery (MIS). However, while these instruments are common, processing them is complex and time-consuming. Insulated electrosurgical instrumentation can cause patient harm, including an electrical burn, if there is a breach in the insulation. These instruments are designed to have an…