Intraoperative electrical burn caused by stainless tube tree with noncontact electrosurgical ground: A case report

ABSTRACT

Noncontact electrosurgical ground is recently developed to provide adequate electrical return to electric surgical unit without direct contact to the patient. It provides full and safe electrical return without direct contact of patient due to oscillating, high frequency nature of the current flow and large surface of pad. It is useful in burn surgery and effective to prevent burn by improper placements of the grounding pad. But it can induce current to conducting object with direct contact. Current induced in conductive materials can produce heat to make burns. We present a patient with full-thickness burn in left third finger which was resulted from current through stainless steel tube tree on the operating table during surgery. The stainless tube tree was placed on noncontact electrosurgical ground which was covered with plastic sheet and linen sheet. Staff in operating room should be educated and remain vigilant for electrical burns caused by metallic object on noncontact grounding pad.