**2. Clinical vignette #1**

Mr. "A" is a 65-year-old male admitted to a local Ambulatory Surgery Center for a minor surgical procedure. He has cervical lymphadenopathy and is scheduled for excisional biopsy of a palpably enlarged right-sided cervical lymph node. After all preoperative medical and safety checks are completed, Mr. "A" is escorted into the OR and positioned supine. General anesthesia is induced after an uneventful endotracheal intubation. The surgical resident assisting with the procedure preps the patient's neck, shoulder and chest using alcohol-containing chlorhexidine solution. Soon after, the surgical site is draped with sterile surgical cotton drapes. An incision is made over the enlarged lymph node, and subcutaneous tissue is exposed. Electrocautery is then introduced into the field for hemostasis and surgical dissection around the enlarged lymph node. Immediately following electrode activation, a flame ignites and rapidly spreads over the surgical field prepped with chlorhexidine. The surgeon in charge immediately removes the drapes, the electrocautery is switched off, the fire is extinguished within seconds, and the lymph node biopsy procedure is aborted. The patient suffers from first degree burns over his neck and chest. His recovery is complete, although he requires another trip to the OR for completion of his lymph node biopsy.
