title: High-voltage electrical burn injuries: functional upper extremity assessment.
abstract: High-voltage electric injuries have many manifestations, and an important complication is the damage of the central/peripheral nervous system. The purpose of this work was to assess the upper limb dysfunction in patients injured by high-voltage current. The evaluation consisted of analysis of patients' records, cutaneous-sensibility threshold, handgrip and pinch strength and a specific questionnaire about upper limb dysfunctions (DASH) in 18 subjects. All subjects were men; the average age at the time of the injury was 38 years. Of these, 72% changed job/retired after the injury. The current entrance was the hand in 94% and grounding in the lower limb in 78%. The average burned surface area (BSA) was 8.6%. The handgrip strength of the injured limb was reduced (p<0.05) and so also that of the three pinch types. The relationship between the handgrip strength and the DASH was statistically significant (p<0.001) as well as the relationship between the three pinch types (p<or=0.02) to the injured limb. The ability to perceive cutaneous touch/pressure was decreased in the burnt hand, principally in the median nerve area. These data indicate a reduction of the hand muscular strength and sensibility, reducing the function of the upper limb in patients who received high-voltage electrical shock.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomechanics, Medicine and Rehabilitation of the Locomotor Apparatus, Ribeirão Preto School of Medicine, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil. kelley.betti@gmail.com
authors.forename: K C
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Mazzetto-Betti
authors.forename: A C G
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Amâncio
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Farina
authors.forename: M E P M
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: M C R
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fonseca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002058:Burns, Electric / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006230:Hand Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D018737:Hand Strength; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation; D014110:Touch; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000293:injuries* / Q000503:physiopathology; D055815:Young Adult