The family of a cancer patient is taking legal action against an Oregon hospital, seeking nearly $1,000,000, following an incident where the man’s face reportedly ignited during a surgical procedure while he was conscious.
John Michael Murdoch, who had been diagnosed with tongue squamous cell carcinoma, went to Oregon Health & Science University in December 2022 for surgery.
During a tracheostomy, intended to create a breathing hole in his neck, a spark from a surgical tool allegedly set his face on fire by igniting alcohol used in the procedure.
Murdoch’s wife, Toni Murdoch, has initiated a $900,000 lawsuit, asserting that the tool involved had a known history of sparking and that the presence of oxygen and unevaporated isopropyl alcohol fueled the incident.
The lawsuit states Murdoch was ‘awake and conscious’ during the fire outbreak, causing him facial scars, swelling, and wounds.
Despite his inability to articulate clearly, his wife conveyed the trauma he experienced.
Murdoch lived with these injuries for six months before passing away from cancer in June 2023.
Ron Cheng, the attorney who filed the lawsuit last month, told The Oregonian that the situation is one that “never should have happened.”
Both a representative for the Oregon Health & Science University and Dr. Adam Howard, the doctor named in the lawsuit, have refrained from commenting due to patient privacy regulations.
The Oregon Medical Board records indicate Howard began practicing medicine in Oregon in 2022, and by January 2024, his medical license was “Lapsed.”
Despite Cheng’s assertion, the Emergency Care Research Institute reports that between 90 to 100 surgical fires occur annually in the U.S.
The Joint Commission, focused on enhancing patient safety, notes three elements that heighten fire risks: oxygen, ignition sources, and fuel.
The lawsuit from Toni Murdoch claims all these factors were present during the fire.
Beyond his wife, Murdoch is survived by his parents, step-children, brother, sister-in-law, nieces, and nephews.