Education in healthcare is essential for enhancing patient safety, improving informed consent and enabling personal and professional development. Surgical training often focuses on common complications and the consent process for these potential adverse outcomes. But what about education on less common or rare adverse events? How helpful or relevant is this learning in contemporary practice when, by their very nature, rare complications are rare? Developing a learning culture within the surgical community is essential, as this allows prevention of future harm, identifies the potential for technical operative errors and maintains a sense of increased vigilance for these potential issues. The need for a ‘learning net’ to be cast as widely as possible in order to include less common concerns makes absolute sense – it is important for us to be aware of rarer potential complications for all the reasons highlighted above. This edition’s editors’ choice, whilst being simply a case report for a theatre electrical fire, brings to the forefront of our minds that the operative environment is one where the risk of fire is not insignificant. The authors highlight the steps that need to be undertaken in the event of a fire and the type of fire extinguisher needed in such events in theatre. It makes one pause for thought on what actions to take if we were in this situation. It also makes you want to go and look for where the fire extinguishers are located in our respective departments! The editors would like to thank the reviewers for their continued valuable contributions.
Nazia and Gaynor
This is a case report of a live electrical wire incident in the author’s operating room, with review of literature and recommendations for safe practices. During a routine endoscopic sinus surgery, a nurse in the operating room tripped on a power cord. The cord was avulsed from the endoscopic tower adjacent to the patient, sparking a wire and burning the floor. The operating team immediately intervened to defuse the situation. The surgery was able to proceed and concluded without any injuries or adverse events. The authors recommend preventing such an event by avoiding tripping hazards in the operating room, and using bright, fluorescent cord alert cable covers. In the event of a fire, the authors suggest turning off the oxygen immediately, isolating the patient and personnel, liquids and flammable drapes as well as identifying the faulty electrical outlet and turning off the electricity. Operating room fires typically require to be doused with Class C fire extinguishers with carbon monoxide. Operating room safety is paramount for the welfare of the patients as well as personnel.
Live electrical wire in the operating room: a review of the literature.
Verpukhovskiy P, Kothari R, Gilani S.
OPER TECH OTOLAYNGOL HEAD NECK SURG
2025:36(4):348–52.
