Human skin burns induced by defibrillator default current.
The attachment of various types of electronic instrumentation to a patient can lead to hazardous interactions. Component malfunction in a single piece of equipment connected to a patient may be totally innocuous. However, the same fault occurring in an identical piece of equipment functioning as one component in a network of monitoring and electrosurgical equipment can result in severe burns or even electrocution. This paper describes interaction between a defective defibrillator paddle and an electrosurgical unit. Burns and ventricular fibrillation resulting from this malfunction and interaction are described in detail and the electrical circuits are analyzed.
D002058:Burns, Electric / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation; D004598:Electrosurgery / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation; D006344:Heart Septal Defects, Atrial / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007869:Leg Injuries; D008297:Male; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000628:therapy; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000628:therapy; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000209:etiology