title: Filigree burn of lightning: two case reports.
abstract: Lightning is a powerful natural electrostatic discharge produced during a thunderstorm. The electric current passing through the discharge channels is direct with a potential of 1000 million volts or more. Lightning can kill or injure a person by a direct strike, a side-flash, or conduction through another object. Lightning can cause a variety of injuries in the skin and the cardiovascular, neurological and ophthalmic systems. Filigree burn of lightning is a superficial burn and very rare. Two cases of death from lightning which have this rare finding are reported and discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Forensic Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaya, Kuala-Lumpur 50603, Malaysia. drvkr_2001@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Virendra
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002056:Burns / Q000401:mortality* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008030:Lightning; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male