Gel pad misuse blamed for defibrillator burns:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
More than 98% of British coronary care units see patients with defibrillator burns, but only one in five saw serious injuries last year. A survey in the Scottish Medical Journal (1996, vol 41) says most patients suffered only superficial erythema. More serious burns were normally seen in patients who needed recurrent defibrillation. The report also said reusing gel pads or failing to use them at all could explain many of the injuries.