[The application of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of deep electric injury].
OBJECTIVE
To explore the application of ultrasonography in the diagnosis of deep electric injury.


METHODS
HP-IPHX high resolution color and pulse doppler ultrasonography was employed in the study. The hemodynamic indices were determined in the burn wound area and tissues 5 - 15 cm proximal to the wound in 12 patients with deep electric injury. At the same time, injuries to subcutaneous and muscular tissue and blood vessels (fifty-six blood vessels detected) were detected.


RESULTS
1. It was found by two-dimentional ultrasonography that the injury degree in different tissue after deep electric injury was different, i.e. blood vessels were most liable to injury followed by muscles and subcutaneous tissue. In the burn wound area, endothelium was not visualized in 7 blood vessels and endothelial swelling was identified in 12 blood vessels. Furthermore, vascular occlusion was found in 4 blood vessels and thrombosis found in 5 vessels. 2. It was also demonstrated by color ultrasonography that change in course of blood vessel and tortuesity were observed in 12 blood vessels, stenosis of lumen in 21 vessels and widened intravascular space in 11 vessels, All these findings were confirmed in the subsequent operations. 3. It was revealed by pulse Doppler that the top blood flow speed increased during vascular contraction period in narrowed blood vessels with decreased blood flow per minute.


CONCLUSIONS
Being an non-invasive examination, ultrasonography could directly demonstrate the morphological changes in subcutaneous tissue, muscle and blood vessels after a deep electric injury, which might help determine the injury degree and the hemodynamic changes in the injured site.
Chen
Yue-Xiu
YX
Department of Ultrasonography, The 304th Hospital of PLA, Beijing, 100037, P.R. China.
Xu
Ying
Y
Guo
Zhen-Rong
ZR
Chai
Jia-Ke
JK
Hu
Xiao-Juan
XJ
Zhang
Zhong-Mei
ZM
Li
Li-Gen
LG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D002058:Burns, Electric / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009132:Muscles / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D012867:Skin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods*