Oregon Hospital Faces $900K Lawsuit After Patient's Face Catches Fire During Surgery

An Oregon woman has filed a lawsuit against Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) and its medical staff after her husband's face caught fire during surgery, leaving him permanently disfigured. The patient, 52-year-old John Michael Murdoch, was undergoing a tracheostomy in December 2022 as part of his treatment for tongue cancer when the horrific incident occurred.

Lawsuit Alleges Negligence in Surgical Procedure

The lawsuit, filed by Murdoch's wife, Toni Murdoch, seeks $900,000 in damages. It alleges that surgical staff applied isopropyl alcohol to sterilize Murdoch's face, but the alcohol had not fully dried before a surgical tool sparked, igniting a fire. Murdoch was awake and conscious throughout the ordeal, enduring severe pain and emotional trauma from the burns.

Attorney Ron Cheng, representing the Murdoch family, stated, "It never should have happened." He revealed that despite Murdoch's difficulty speaking, he expressed to his wife the immense suffering he endured from the burns in his final months.

Patient Succumbs to Cancer Months After the Incident

John Michael Murdoch passed away in June 2023, nearly six months after the surgical fire. The lawsuit claims that he never fully recovered from the traumatic injuries before his death, adding to the emotional distress experienced by his family.

Defendants Named in the Lawsuit

The lawsuit names Oregon Health & Science University, Dr. Adam Howard, and unnamed surgical staff members as defendants. Dr. Howard obtained his medical license in 2022, which expired in January 2024. Despite being listed as an instructor on OHSU's website, he was also featured by West Virginia University in a November 2023 post.

The suit further alleges that the surgical tool used had a known history of emitting sparks. Combined with the oxygen-rich environment and the undried alcohol, it created a hazardous "fire triangle" that led to the blaze.

Operating Room Fires: A Preventable Risk

The American College of Surgeons has long warned about the risk of fires in operating rooms, emphasizing that flammable substances, oxygen, and heat-producing devices can create dangerous conditions if safety protocols are not strictly followed.

According to reports, there are an estimated 90 to 100 surgical fires in the United States annually.

OHSU Yet to Comment

As of now, Oregon Health & Science University has not issued a public statement regarding the lawsuit or the incident.

Reference:

1. MSN. "OHSU Patient’s Face Catches Fire After Surgical Staff Swabbed His Skin with Alcohol, $900,000 Lawsuit Says." Accessed January 16, 2025. https://www.msn.com/en-us/public-safety-and-emergencies/health-and-safety-alerts/ohsu-patient-s-face-catches-fire-after-surgical-staff-swabbed-his-skin-with-alcohol-900-000-lawsuit-says/ar-BB1rfCdC.

(Input from various sources)

(Rehash/Dr. Sreelekshmi P/MSM)