[Acute and chronic injuries after electrical accidents].
BACKGROUND
Electrical accidents are potentially fatal incidents with effect on the cardiovascular, nerve and musculoskeletal systems and on the skin (burns). The electrical engineering industry points out that the follow-up of injured persons from site of accident to hospital is quite random. This paper gives a review of the current literature and proposes guidelines for the follow-up of victims of electrical accidents.


METHODS
A search of the literature was conducted on Medline, Embase, Biosis, Healthline, the Cochrane Library, the ISI citation databases, and on several other search engines. The revised guidelines were developed in consultation with 23 medical and industry institutions.


CONCLUSIONS
Serious acute effects of electrical accidents include cardiac arrest, respiration failure, burns (also (internal burns) with necrosis of e.g. muscle tissue), injuries to the nerve system, and renal failure. Traumas caused by falls are also frequent. Possible chronic effects are mostly seen in the nerve system as encephalopathy and psychological sequelae or as spinal cord and peripheral nerve injury. Most importantly, long latent periods are possible for some chronic nerve injuries. This paper suggest guidelines for acute (on the spot) action and criteria for referral to hospital, observation in hospital and further follow-up.
Statens arbeidsmiljoinstitutt Postboks 8149 Dep 0033 Oslo bove@stami.no
Kaj Bo
KB
Veiersted
Lars Ole
LO
Goffeng
Rune
R
Moian
Eirik
E
Remo
Are
A
Solli
Jan
J
Erikssen
D000059:Accidents; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000517:prevention & control; D000208:Acute Disease; D002058:Burns, Electric / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004556:Electric Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic