[Patient associated fire in theatre: are we ready to prevent and/or manage it? Assessment of the anaesthetist's knowledge in Lorraine].

OBJECTIVE

To assess knowledge amongst anaesthetists as regards to fire involving surgical patients in Lorraine.

STUDY DESIGN

A cross-sectional study was conducted using a postal questionnaire.

METHOD

A 22-item postal questionnaire was therefore sent to all anaesthetists working in Lorraine between January and March, 2011.

RESULTS

One hundred and twenty-eight questionnaires were returned (response rate: 36%). Sixty-two percent of the respondents had never participated in fire safety training. Fifty percent could not recollect the location of the fire extinguisher in their surgical unit. Sixty-three percent ignored the existence of a memo written by the Afssaps summarizing how to use safely alcohol-based skin preparations in the presence of an electrosurgical unit. Sixty-five percent gave at least one incorrect response in grading the various modes of oxygen supply regarding the risk of fire. Only 48% were able to identify the surgeries which posed the greatest fire risk. In such cases, 40% of respondents were not aware that a FiO(2) should be maintained below 30%, 43% that the use of nitrous oxide was forbidden and 32% that it was necessary to respect a drying time after the application of an alcohol-based solution. Concerning the management of a fire, most of the answers were correct. Finally, 97% of the respondents wished to be better informed on this particular topic.

CONCLUSION

Our survey underlines a lack of knowledge amongst anaesthetists towards the risk of patient associated fire in theatre.