Revealed: The chief of surgery who set patient on fire when his electronic scalpel caused 'EXPLOSION'

PUBLISHED: 13:20 GMT, 6 May 2012 | UPDATED: 02:05 GMT, 7 May 2012

Experienced: Dr Jay Yelon, the chief of surgery at New York's Lincoln Hospital, lit a patient on fire in the middle of surgery in April

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’.

Major mishap: Patient Enrique Ruiz was set on fire as he lay unconscious on the operating table, he suffered second degree burns before the blaze was put out (stock picture)

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 ‘exploded’ during his operation.
‘That happens sometimes. It’s not unusual,' the doctor added. 
Ruiz was admitted to the hospital's emergency room with pneumonia and bronchitis on April 14.

Accusations: Dr Jay Yelon, who carried out the operation at the Lincoln Hospital, allegedly did not mention the fire in a post-surgery report

He is expected to fully heal from his burns, according to a spokesman from the hospital.
About 500 to 600 surgical fires happen each year across the U.S, according to Mark Bruley, who is an expert on the hazard.
Bruley said several patients have burned to death and that 25-30 suffer severe burns or facial disfigurement.

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