In order to prevent secondary burns
to adjacent tissue from the shaft of the electrosurgical active
electrode tip, surgical staff members have used red rubber catheters
or other materials to insulate the shaft. This practice is highly
dangerous and not recommended by the ECRI. Even in a minimal oxygen-enriched
atmosphere, the heat generated during activation of the electrosurgical
pencil will ignite the rubber or other materials.
In one incident reported to a medical device manufacturer, a surgeon
who was performing a throat procedure on an intubated child used
an electrode that was wrapped with steristrips to provide insulation.
The steristrips ignited. The patient was checked for injury and
with none being noted, the procedure continued. This time a segment
of red rubber catheter was placed over the blade for additional
insulation. Like the steristrips, the red rubber catheter ignited.
Red rubber catheters will ignite and burn at just 17 percent oxygen.
This graphically illustrates that this is an unsafe practice.
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