Fart blamed for fire during surgery; patient seriously burned - East Idaho News
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Fart blamed for fire during surgery; patient seriously burned

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SHINJUKU, Japan — A patient’s fart during surgery apparently sparked a fire that caused serious burns to her body, a university hospital in Tokyo said.

Although the incident occurred April 15 at the Tokyo Medical University Hospital, news of the accident is just being reported after a report was released from the hospital on Friday.

The report was released by the hospital after a committee of outside experts examined the case and determined that there were no flammable materials inside the room at the time of surgery, according to the Asahi Shimbun newspaper.

The patient was undergoing a procedure where a laser was applied to her cervix. Doctors say the laser ignited the fire after the woman farted, which caused burns to “much of her body, including her waist and legs.”

According to the report, the equipment was functioning normally at the time of the operation.

“When the patient’s intestinal gas leaked into the space of the operation (room), it ignited with the irradiation of the laser, and the burning spread, eventually reaching the surgical drape and causing the fire,” the report said.

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