Preventing and Managing Operating Room Fires in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.

Otolaryngologists are at high risk of surgical fire. During surgery in the head and neck region there is close proximity of 3 essential elements: an ignition source, a fuel, and an oxidizing agent. In this article, the authors highlight the scenarios where fire may occur and offer steps that surgeons can take to minimize risk for their patients. By understanding the elements of the fire triad, otolaryngologists can decrease the risk of surgical fire, through careful control of oxidizers, ignition sources, and potential fuels in the operating room.