Man was ‘awake and conscious’ when his face caught fire during surgery, lawsuit says

John Murdoch

Background: Oregon Health & Science University hospital in Portland, Ore. (Google Maps). Inset: John Murdoch (provided by the family).

The family of an Oregon man who suffered from severe burns after his face caught on fire during surgery is suing the hospital for $900,000.

In December 2022, John Michael Murdoch, 52, was undergoing a procedure as part of his treatment for squamous cell carcinoma, a cancer of the tongue. He checked in to Oregon Health & Science University hospital for a tracheostomy to have a breathing tube inserted into his throat. Part of the preparation for that surgery involved his face being swabbed with isopropyl alcohol for sterilization. But when the alcohol wasn’t given enough time to dry, his face caught on fire when it came into contact with a surgical tool that emitted a spark.

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