Many surgical devices and tools can burn patients

While many of us could likely list off a number of things that could go wrong on the operating table, most of us wouldn't mention burns. From chemicals to electrical devices though, there are various products or tools that are used in the during surgeries that can seriously hurt a patient.

Chemical burns may occur if an electrode is paired with the incorrect conductive gel material. Improperly aerated equipment that is sterilized using Ethylene oxide may cause adverse chemical reactions resulting in burns. Laundry chemicals mixed with iodine prep solutions may cause them as well.

If a radio frequence device, such as a magnetic resonance imaging one, malfunctions, then it may cause a patient electrical burns. Batteries used in muscle or nerve stimulators or pacemakers may also corrode causing a patients organs or skin to become burned.

Doctors who use electrocautery devices to stop bleeding, heated probes or surgical bits that are unlubricated may cause their patients direct contact thermal burns. These may be caused by an individual's skin being exposed to heating pads for too long of a period of time also.

When doctors graduate medical school, they take an oath to "do no harm" to others. Many of the burn injuries that occur could be completely avoided by patients being more closely monitored by their medical team. Fortunately, our legal system allows for penalties to be assessed of doctors who fail to carry out their duty of care. A Tucson surgical errors attorney can advise you of your right to recover compensation for injuries you were left with.