A randomized controlled trial of factors influencing fire occurrence during laser surgery of cadaveric rodents under simulated mask anesthesia.

Objective: To determine whether face mask fit during anesthesia affects the occurrence of fire episodes during laser surgery in nonintubated cadaveric rodents under volatile anesthesia.

Design: Adaptive single-center randomized controlled trial with an interim analysis.

Sample: 100 dead rats intended for animal consumption.

Procedures: Rat carcasses were randomly allocated to undergo simulated anesthetic procedures with 2 face masks: open mask versus tight-fitting mask. Under volatile anesthesia, 4 cutaneous surgeries were performed (skin biopsies at 3 different sites and resection of a pinna) by means of a diode laser on each carcass. A single interim analysis of 50 rats was planned a priori to drop an arm of the study in the case of a highly significant difference in the incidence of fire events. Surgeries would have continued with the other face mask until completion of the study. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.

Results: Overall, 25 surgeries were performed with open face masks and 75 with tight-fitting masks. During 400 surgical procedures on 100 rat carcasses, 11 (11%; 95% confidence interval, 5.62% to 18.83%) fire events occurred. Ten fire events occurred with the open masks, and 1 fire event occurred with the tight-fitting masks (relative risk, 30.0; 95% confidence interval, 4.0 to 222.8). All of the fire events occurred on different carcasses when cheek skin biopsy was performed. Procedure time, body weight, and surgeon did not significantly concur in the prediction of fire events.

Conclusions And Clinical Relevance: Modification of open masks by the addition of a latex diaphragm significantly reduced the occurrence of fire ignition during laser surgery. Results suggested that open masks should not be used for laser surgery of nonintubated rodents during volatile anesthesia. Additionally, results indicated that surgical lasers should be avoided for facial surgery of nonintubated anesthetized rodents, even if tight-fitting masks are used.