title: Electrical and lightning injuries.
abstract: The aim of this study was to explore the mechanisms, complications, morbidity, and mortality associated with electrical injuries. Of 5053 acute burn admissions during a 5-year period, 202 patients (4%) had electrical burn injuries. Their mean age was 27.5 years (range, 3-71 years). Ninety-eight percent were male, and the extent of burn ranged from 1% to 70% TBSA (mean, 10.5 +/- 10.7% TBSA). High-voltage electricity caused 54% of the electrical injuries. Forty-two percent were caused by low-voltage currents and 4% by lightning. A total of 217 surgical procedures were performed on 202 patients Fifteen patients (7.4%) required amputation. All patients who had abnormal electrocardiograms underwent cardiac monitoring. Four had cardiac complications. Mean hospital stay was 13.9 +/- 14.6 days (range, 1-90). Four patients (2%) died. Electrical burn injuries continue to be a serious problem of modern society. Climbing power poles is the most common mechanism for high-voltage injury. Special consideration is required to prevent this type of injury in our region.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Hemmat
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maghsoudi
authors.forename: Yosef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Adyani
authors.forename: Nahid
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ahmadian
mesh_terms: D000061:Accidents, Home / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000671:Amputation, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D001458:Bandages / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002053:Burn Units; D002058:Burns, Electric / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003646:Debridement / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004562:Electrocardiography; D000071938:Fasciotomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015168:Lightning Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009212:Myoglobinuria / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices