The family of an Oregon man is seeking $900,000 from the hospital where he woke up with his face on fire during surgery.
The allegations are included in a medical malpractice lawsuit filed by John Michael Murdock’s wife against Oregon Health and Science University, The Oregonian reported. The lawsuit alleges Murdoch’s ordeal occurred during surgery in 2022 during treatment for squamous cell carcinoma, a cancer of the tongue. According to the complaint, medical staff failed to properly dry the alcohol wiped on his face, causing his face to catch fire.
The lawsuit details that Murdock’s surgery involved a tracheostomy, or the insertion of a breathing tube into his throat. It was wiped down with isopropyl alcohol to disinfect it in preparation for surgery. But the alcohol didn’t dry properly and sparks from the surgical instruments ignited the skin, according to the lawsuit.
The Oregonian’s version of the lawsuit states that Murdock was “awake and conscious” at the time of the fire, which was fueled by isopropyl alcohol and oxygen that did not evaporate. The tool had a history of sparking, the suit claimed.
Murdoch lived for six months after the surgery, but died in June 2023. He was 52 years old, according to his obituary.
“This is a ‘never’ event,” Ron Chen, an attorney who filed the lawsuit in December on behalf of Mr. Murdoch’s widow, Toni, told The Oregonian. “That should never have happened.”
Although Murdock’s surgical mishap did not result in his death, he endured ugly scars, swelling and wounds that would not heal, Chen said.
Chen told the magazine at the time that Murdoch was unable to speak clearly, but was able to communicate to his wife the trauma he had experienced as a result of the burns.
A spokesperson for Oregon Health & Science University declined to comment to The Oregonian, citing patient privacy laws. The defendant named in the lawsuit is the hospital. Dr. Adam Howard is a doctor whose medical license expired in January 2024. and 10 anonymous surgical staff members.
A hospital spokesperson also reportedly said Howard could not comment on the lawsuit, also citing patient privacy laws.
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The American College of Surgeons said last year that operating rooms are “fire-prone environments” with ignition sources, oxygen and fuel. According to the American College of Surgeons, approximately 70% of surgical fires in the United States are caused by electrosurgical equipment, and 75% of these involved oxygen-rich environments. Alcohol-based skin preparations were also “a common source of fuel during surgical fires when they cannot be completely evaporated.”
From January 1, 2018 to March 29, 2023, 85 surveillance events related to fires and burns during surgeries and procedures were reported to the Joint Commission, an independent hospital accrediting body. .
The American College of Surgeons writes that healthcare organizations can reduce the risk of fire by establishing processes and procedures that prevent dangerous interactions between oxygen, ignition sources, and fuels. This includes providing training to staff on how to avoid and manage fires and maintaining local oxygen levels below 30% where possible.
