An Oregon most cancers affected person was “awake and conscious” when his face caught on hearth throughout surgical procedure — leaving him completely disfigured, in line with his household’s $900,000 lawsuit.
John Michael Murdoch went to Oregon Well being & Science College to endure a tracheostomy — to put in a respiration gap in his neck — in December 2022 as a part of a remedy plan for squamous cell carcinoma, or tongue most cancers.
Workers sterilized Murdoch’s face with isopropyl alcohol to organize for the process, however the substance hadn’t absolutely dried when a surgical software sparked and caught aflame, the swimsuit, filed by Murdoch’s spouse Toni alleges.
Toni filed swimsuit in opposition to the hospital, Dr. Adam Howard and unnamed surgical workers members for medical malpractice final month.
Murdoch, 52, succumbed to the illness roughly six months later in June 2023 however he’d by no means absolutely healed from the traumatic and disfiguring incident by the point he died, the swimsuit claims.
“It never should have happened,” Murdoch household lawyer Ron Cheng instructed the Oregonian.
Cheng stated whereas Murdoch had issue talking on the time, he was capable of specific to his spouse the struggling and trauma the burns brought on him in his final months.
The software used throughout Murdoch’s process had a historical past of throwing off sparks and that mixed with oxygen and the moist alcohol created the “fire triangle” — or oxygen, ignition supply and gas — Cheng and the swimsuit declare.
It’s estimated that there are round 90 to 100 surgical fires yearly within the US, the outlet reported, citing Emergency Care Analysis Institute.
“Perfect conditions exist for fire in the [operating room],” the American Faculty of Surgeons says, including that medical workers should “become vigilant” to stop them from occurring.
Howard first acquired his medical license in 2022 however the license lapsed as of January 2024 in Oregon, the outlet reported. He’s nonetheless listed on the hospital’s web site as an teacher however West Virginia College listed him on their web site in a put up from November 2023.
A spokesperson with Oregon Well being & Science College stated: “In light of patient privacy laws and pending litigation, OHSU cannot comment on this case.”
Cheng didn’t return a request for remark.
