J U N E 2 0 1 5 O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T 4 5
I
t's easy to be complacent about surgical fires.
After all, most providers never experience
them. But they still happen with alarming regu-
larity — at least 200 times a year, according to some
estimates. And when they do, the consequences are
often devastating. Mark Bruley, CCE, a biomedical
engineer at the nonprofit ECRI Institute in Plymouth
Meeting, Pa., is an internationally recognized expert
on fire safety. In his presentation, "Only You Can
Prevent Surgical Fires," he'll talk about common
hazards, new clinical recommendations in fire pre-
vention and the proper way to extinguish flames if
they do spark.
• It's not all about dry times. Surgical teams tend to
assume alcohol is the most common cause, because
everyone knows it's flammable and we frequently
hear warnings about adequate drying time. But the
reality is that alcohol skin preps that haven't been
Lives Change in a
Matter of Seconds
Surgical fires scar both patients
and providers in a flash.
Speaker Profile
• Biomedical engineer at the non-
profit ECRI Institute in Plymouth
Meeting, Pa.
• Considered the world's leading
expert on medical accidents, with
a particular expertise in surgical
fires.
• Has conducted research into sur-
gical fires for more than 35 years
and served as an advisor to the
Joint Commission, the FDA and
various foreign governments.
Mark Bruley, CCE
