Thermal burn caused by a laryngoscope

Accidental thermal burns during general anesthesia have been caused by such problems as poor grounding of cautery, grounding leakage and fault currents through spurious electrical pathways, and improperly functioning warming and cooling blankets. This report presents an unusual case of second to third degree burns of the skin caused by a laryngoscope. Further studies were undertaken to determine the thermodynamic property of the laryngoscope used.