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Book cover for Flammability and Sensitivity of Materials in Oxygen-Enriched Atmospheres: Fourth Volume
ASTM Selected Technical Papers
Flammability and Sensitivity of Materials in Oxygen-Enriched Atmospheres: Fourth VolumeAvailable to Purchase
By
J Stoltzfus
J Stoltzfus
1
NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility
?
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88004
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J Stradling
J Stradling
1
NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility
?
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88004
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F Benz
F Benz
1
NASA Johnson Space Center White Sands Test Facility
?
Las Cruces, New Mexico 88004
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ISBN-10:
0-8031-1288-2
ISBN:
978-0-8031-1288-9
No. of Pages:
429
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1520/STP1040-EB
Publisher:
ASTM International
Publication date:
1989
eBook Chapter

Oxygen-Enriched Fires During Surgery of The Head and Neck Available to Purchase

By
ME Bruley
ME Bruley
1Mr. Bruley is
Director of the Accident and Forensic Investigation Group
and Mr. Lavanchy is a
Senior Project Engineer
at
ECRI
,
5200 Butler Pike
, Plymouth Meeting,
PA19462,
USA
.
Search for other works by this author on:
This Site
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,
C Lavanchy
C Lavanchy
1Mr. Bruley is
Director of the Accident and Forensic Investigation Group
and Mr. Lavanchy is a
Senior Project Engineer
at
ECRI
,
5200 Butler Pike
, Plymouth Meeting,
PA19462,
USA
.
Search for other works by this author on:
This Site
PubMed
Google Scholar
Doi:
https://doi.org/10.1520/STP24940S
Page Count:
14
  • Published:
    1989

Presented is an overview of ECRI's investigations of intraoperative fires concentrating on oxygen- and nitrous oxide-enriched fires, the common medical devices that act as ignition sources, and the combustible substances that are present during surgery. A comparative evaluation of surgical draping materials, specifically including testing for flame spread rates and ignitability in standard atmospheres and ignitabllity in oxygen-enriched atmospheres, was performed and published by ECRI in 1986. A summary of their flammabllity findings is presented, along with a discussion of the oxygen-enriched atmosphere phenomenon of surface fiber flame propagation on reusable surgical textiles. Recommendations are made for minimizing the risk of surgical fires, including special precautions for prevention of fires from surgical lasers.

Keywords:
fire, surgery, medical devices, surgical drapes, oxygen-enriched atmospheres, nitrous oxide-enriched atmospheres, electrosurgical units, lasers

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