| A top surgeon set an unconscious patient on fire during an operation after sparks from his electronic scalpel caused an 'explosion.' Enrique Ruiz suffered second degree burns on his neck and chest before medics were able to put out the blaze, the New York Post reported. New York's Lincoln Hospital are accused of trying to cover up the incident after it was revealed that the fire was not mentioned in a post-surgery review and the victim's family were told 'it happens' when shocked by Ruiz's burns. On April 19 Dr Jay Yelon, the chief of surgery at the Hospital, was performing a tracheotomy to insert a breathing tube when his electronic scalpel came too close to Ruiz's oxygen supply and caused a 'minor explosion', hospital insiders told the Post. Waking up in extreme pain Ruiz told his brother, 'I feel like my chest was on fire.' Sources claim that Yelon did not mention the fire in a post-surgery report and said the flames were put out with 'no danger to the patient'. Accidents that harm patients must be reported to the state Health Department immediately. Spokesman Peter Constantakes told the Post the incident was initially reported as 'harmless' but then confirmed the fire was being investigated. The patient's family were appalled when they saw the huge burns over Ruiz's chest but one doctor reportedly dismissed the injuries as 'like a sunburn'. Ruiz, who could only remember his clothes being ripped off before he 'blanked out', was told by a doctor afterwards that oxygen ... |
