• “There is a general lack of awareness concerning the problem of stray electrosurgical burns as well as an understanding of recent technological advancement developed to address or prevent them from occurring. Burns caused by stray energy are less understood than other surgical injuries, because of difficulties in detection and diagnosis.”¹
  
  
• The combined incidence of bowel complications in the literature was 1.3/1,000 cases. Most injuries (69%) were not recognized at surgery. Of the injuries…50% were caused by electrocautery.”²
  
  
• “It wouldn’t surprise me in the least if it [stray electrosurgical burns] caused more than 100 deaths and 10,000 injuries annually.” – Dr. Alan Johns, M.D., Gynecologist, Fort Worth, TX ³
  
  
• 18% of American College of Surgeons members surveyed had experienced an episode of stray energy during laparoscopic surgery. 54% of laparoscopic surgeons surveyed knew of a colleague who had experienced a stray electrosurgical burn.⁴
  
  
• Random electrical testing of 1438 laparoscopic instruments from 33 hospitals found that 18.6%, or 267 instruments, had full thickness insulation failures. The average instrument had 1.8 defects. 33% of the defects were on the part of the instrument inside the patient’s abdomen, but outside the surgeon’s field of view. 57% of the insulation breaks could not be seen with the naked eye.⁵

References

1. “Pearls, Pitfalls, and Advancement in the Delivery of Electrosurgical Energy during Laparoscopy,” Odell RC, Problems in General Surgery, 2002.
2. “Laparoscopic Bowel Injury: Incidence & Clinical Presentation,” Bishoff JT et al, Journal of Urology, 1999.
3. “Surgical Device Poses a Rare but Serious Peril,” New York Times, March 17, 2006.
4. “Laparoscopic Electrosurgical Injuries: Survey Results and their Implications,” Tucker RD, Surgical Laparoscopy & Endoscopy, 1995.
5. “Safety Study of Laparoscopic Instrument Rings Alarm Bells,” Frei R, General Surgery News, August 2005, Vol. 32, No. 8, pg. 17.