An Inver Grove Heights woman had her head set on fire during an outpatient procedure at Regions Hospital last year, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in Ramsey County District Court.

The summons says Karine Hernandez, 35, checked into Regions in St. Paul on Dec. 11, 2007, for a lymph node biopsy, an outpatient procedure. She was placed face-down on an operating table and given a local anesthetic.

The surgeon made an incision and, the lawsuit says, "the dissection of the lymph node was nearly complete when a spark of flame came up next to Mrs. Hernandez's head. The spark was quickly extinguished. Then a large 'poof' was heard, and it quickly became apparent that there was a fire underneath the surgical drapes."

The suit said the surgical drapes were quickly pulled off Hernandez and a nasal cannula supplying extra oxygen was pulled off her face.

"The surgeon grabbed Mrs. Hernandez's head and encircled it with the surgeon's body to try and put out the flame. A large pail of water was then poured over the surgeon and Mrs. Hernandez. It was then apparent that Mrs. Hernandez had suffered significant burns to the right side of her face, nose and mouth."

The suit said Hernandez sustained "multi-thickness burns" to her face. She received inpatient burn treatment at Regions until she was discharged Dec. 17 and has continued to have medical treatment for the burns and permanent scarring.

The lawsuit does not say what caused the fire, nor does it say why Hernandez was undergoing a lymph node biopsy. Neither Karine Hernandez nor her husband, Dr. Bradley Hernandez, could be reached for comment Monday afternoon. The suit said the couple are suing for "in excess of $50,000 each." Their attorney could not be reached either.

Vince Rivard, a spokesman for Regions Hospital, said he could not comment on pending litigation.

Jan Hennings, communications director at the Minnesota Hospital Association said fires at hospitals are "extremely rare." In January, a 12-hour-old baby was burned over about 17 percent of his body when a fire started in his bassinet at Mercy Hospital in Coon Rapids. The baby, a boy named Maverick, was wearing an oxygen hood underneath a warming device when the fire started. He was hospitalized for three weeks before he went home Feb. 10.

In the four years before that incident, only one burn was reported and that wasn't from a fire, Hennings said. Hospitals statewide are required to report "adverse health events" and a report is issued annually by the Hospital Association and the Minnesota Department of Health.

Pat Pheifer • 651-298-1551