tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post5019896609387730857..comments2024-03-18T06:27:51.599-04:00Comments on Not Running a Hospital: Fire!Paul Levyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17065446378970179507noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-31503706461664839432014-08-09T18:10:51.641-04:002014-08-09T18:10:51.641-04:00"Most surgical fires involve the ignition of ..."Most surgical fires involve the ignition of concentrated oxygen by electrosurgical tools used in upper-body procedures, where patients receive the highly flammable gas through face masks and nasal devices."<br /><br />Except that oxygen itself is not flammable. It's an oxidixer, but fire requires fuel to burn (lots of fuel available in form of drapes, sponges, and alcohol-based antiseptic solutions soaking them) and energy to begin the reaction (electrocautery devices are a common source). Oxygen merely enhances the reactivity. <br /><br />You can hold a lit match in front of an oxygen source and it will burn brighter and hotter, but the oxygen itself will never ignite the way (for example) propane does. (Usual "don't try this at home" disclaimer applies, of course.)PJ Geraghtyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15831912103804824479noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-88453982122546929702014-07-30T06:37:56.939-04:002014-07-30T06:37:56.939-04:00Exactly right.Exactly right.Paul Levyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17065446378970179507noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32053362.post-63154622225277881462014-07-30T06:22:57.854-04:002014-07-30T06:22:57.854-04:00All the more reason to have a health care FAA and ...All the more reason to have a health care FAA and NTSB equivalent. Can you see airlines individually collecting and analyzing all that data on their own? (not to mention not sharing it, etc.) Why do we expect hospitals to do so?<br />Health care participants must be made to see that it is in their own best interests to support such a national effort before it is imposed upon them.nonlocal MDnoreply@blogger.com