Severe brain damage by current flow after electrical burn injury.
Patients sustaining high-voltage electrical injury may experience neurological sequelae. The exact mechanism of nervous cell destruction is an ongoing subject of research, frequently a combination of both thermal and nonthermal causes. In this report, brain damage of the entire right hemisphere according to the current flow with isolated affection of pre- and postcentral gyrus of left hemisphere is described. Clinical findings, including neurological symptoms, radiographic images, and autopsy results, are presented. Possible mechanisms of brain destruction solely caused by current flow are discussed.
Scholz
Till
T
Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Burn Center, Cologne City Hospital, Cologne, Germany.
Rippmann
Volker
V
Wojtecki
Lars
L
Perbix
Walter
W
Rothschild
Markus A
MA
Spilker
Gerald
G
D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004556:Electric Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed