• Elizabeth Geiger Jones.
• Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, South Carolina 29401, USA. Gwammyliz@heavi.tv
• J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2011 Mar 1; 38 (2): 193-5.

BackgroundNosocomial injury is a constant threat in the hospital setting. While there is growing awareness surrounding hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, little information is available on burns associated with intraoperative procedures.CasesWe identified perineal lesions on 4 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass with grafting. These injuries were initially classified as pressure ulcers but subsequent investigation revealed that the injuries were intraoperative burns attributable to pooling of isopropyl alcohol underneath patients who were placed on intraoperative heating pads.ConclusionsDifferentiating between hospital-acquired pressure ulcers and burns can be difficult. Our facility's experience with intraoperative burn injuries now mandates that this etiologic factor be considered in the differential diagnosis of postoperative patients with atypical cutaneous injuries.

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