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free conductive fabric warming HotDog
devices. He points to 6 studies that have
been published in the past 4 years that
he says prove the waste heat contamina-
tion problem. The readers we polled
aren't so sure. As you can see in the
"InstaPoll" box on the lower left, our
survey ended in a virtual dead heat
when we asked nearly 300 readers if
forced-air patient warmers can cause
SSIs.
"Multiple independent organizations
including the 2013 International Consensus Meeting on Periprosthetic
Joint Infection (PJI) and the ECRI Institute have specifically investigat-
ed competitor claims echoed by these lawsuits, and found that there is
no evidence that forced-air warming increases the risk of infection,"
says 3M lawyer Christiana P. Jacxsens of Greenberg Traurig in Atlanta,
Ga.
• • •
From patient safety to staff safety and a painful reminder to practice
safe surgery. We share this selfie of Mark Green, CRNA, MSN, of
Springfield, Vt., and his ruptured bursa. Last month, Mr. Green was
walking down the OR hallway when suddenly his feet went out from
under him and he landed hard on his rear end and elbow. Turns out
somebody thought it was a good idea to toss some liquid (most likely
surgical irrigation, says Mr. Green) in the trash. "Carrying out the
trash, the bag had a leak and it was all over the floor," says Mr. Green.
"Not seeing it, it was an assassin
just waiting for me." OSM
E D I T O R ' S P A G E
Mark
Green,
CRNA
