[Intraoperative iatrogenic thermal burn: case report and review of operating room fire prevention measures]

Combustion of surgical drapes during surgery is a rare event which can nonetheless lead to serious consequences. Iatrogenic burns caused by this complication are often deep and lead to functional and aesthetic sequelae. Nevertheless, awareness of the triggering factors and mechanisms, as well as knowledge of the proper use of various at-risk products such as alcohol-based antiseptic agents and compressed oxygen can reduce the incidence of these undesirable events. Clear communication between the various actors in the operating room is also an essential prevention measure. In this article, we describe the case of a 53-year-old patient who caught fire during a port-a-cath procedure under local anaesthesia with sedation. The resulting burns covered 5% of his total body surface area on the chest, neck, face and back. The purpose of this article is to provide a reminder of the precautions required in the operating room to prevent these dramatic incidents.