title: [Electrical flash burns, about 33 cases. A 10-year retrospective study. Epidemiology, treatment and prevention].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The electric flash burns are a common cause of accident at workplace, especially among electricians. The aim of this study is to determine the parts of the body most often burned by the flash, to define the usual course and finally to give some simple rules of care and prevention.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective, observational and descriptive study including all patients treated at the University Hospital of Tours for electrical flash burns between 1 January 2003 and 01 January 2013. A collection of medical and socio-economic data was achieved. We present 3 cases of patients hospitalized in our department.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-three patients were included. In our series, all hospitalized patients were men. The average age was 43.2years (range 18 to 82years). In 81% of cases, the burn was due to a low voltage source, in 19% of cases to a high voltage source. It was an accident at workplace for 71% of patients, of whom 67% were electricians. The average total burned area was 9,52% (from 1.5% to 24%). The main locations included the face (86%), upper limbs (86%) and hands (86%). Medical treatment has healed 95% of patients. A surgical procedure was required in 5% of cases. A post-traumatic stress was found in 41% of patients. Outpatient treatment was performed in 36% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Flash burns remain a common cause of hospitalization. Screening for hearing and eye disorders, a post-traumatic stress, as well as the prescription of early physiotherapy for burned hands are important components of their management. Following simple rules of prevention would limit their morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie plastique et reconstructrice, centre des brulés, hôpital Trousseau, CHRU de Tours, avenue de la République, 37170 Chambray-les-Tours, France. Electronic address: raphaelcarloni@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carloni
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie plastique et reconstructrice, centre des brulés, hôpital Trousseau, CHRU de Tours, avenue de la République, 37170 Chambray-les-Tours, France.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pechevy
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie plastique et reconstructrice, centre des brulés, hôpital Trousseau, CHRU de Tours, avenue de la République, 37170 Chambray-les-Tours, France.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Quignon
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie plastique et reconstructrice, centre des brulés, hôpital Trousseau, CHRU de Tours, avenue de la République, 37170 Chambray-les-Tours, France.
authors.forename: A-H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Yassine
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie plastique et reconstructrice, centre des brulés, hôpital Trousseau, CHRU de Tours, avenue de la République, 37170 Chambray-les-Tours, France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Forme
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie plastique et reconstructrice, centre des brulés, hôpital Trousseau, CHRU de Tours, avenue de la République, 37170 Chambray-les-Tours, France; Cabinet, 33, rue de la Tour, 75016 Paris, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zakine
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002053:Burn Units; D002058:Burns, Electric / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Brûlures par flash; Brûlures à bas voltage; Brûlures électriques; Electrical burns; Epidemiology; Flash burns; Low voltage burns; Prevention; Prévention; Épidémiologie