title: Lung injury and pneumothorax after defibrillation as demonstrated with computed tomography.
abstract: Many patients present for emergency services after electric injuries or require defibrillation during emergency services. Although the defibrillation process is safe, skin burns and myocardial injuries are reported after defibrillation procedures. There are limited data about the complications of defibrillation. In the case reported here, a lung injury and a small pneumothorax were observed after defibrillation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported case in which computed tomography is used to demonstrate that a trace of electric current passed through the lung. Computed tomography may be an excellent diagnostic modality to demonstrate the severity and extent of electric injuries to the lung.
authors.affiliation: American Hospital Department of Radiology, Güzelbahçe sokak No:20 Nişantaşı, 34365 Istanbul, Turkey. termang@gmail.com
authors.forename: Terman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gümüş
authors.forename: Düzgün
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yıldırım
authors.forename: Gökhan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Uçar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055370:Lung Injury / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed