Electrical burns: Highlights from a 5-year retrospective analysis.
BACKGROUND
Electrical burns are the third most common cause of burn injuries, after scald and flame burns. In spite of decreasing mortality rates as advancements are made in treatment modalities and medical equipment, significant complications and socioeconomic consequences still accompany electrical burns. Analyzed in the present study were data from patients hospitalized for electrical burns between 2008 and 2012 in the Samsun Training and Research Hospital, the only burn care center in the Black Sea region of Turkey.


METHODS
Data from 94 patients (84 males, 10 females) hospitalized for electrical burns between 2008 and 2012 were retrospectively evaluated. Patient age, gender, occupation, presence of coexisting trauma, burn degree, burned percentage of total body surface area (TBSA), voltage of the electric current (low or high), medical cost (per day and total), and infection rates were analyzed.


RESULTS
Mean patient age was 26.4±13.2 years. Ten patients were female (10.6%) and 84 were male (89.4%). High-voltage burns were sustained by 47 patients (50%) and low-voltage burns by 42 (44.7%); the remaining 5 were flash burns. Mean burned TBSA was 21.8±19.8% in high-voltage injuries and 11.9±6.9% in low-voltage injuries. Seven patients had accompanying soft tissue lacerations, major bone fractures, or epidural hematomas. Findings of infection were encountered in 31 patients (32.9%), and appropriate treatments were initiated according to culture results. Mean duration of hospitalization was 21.3±19.8 days in patients with high-voltage burns and 8.6±6.2 days in patients with low-voltage burns. Mean hospital stay was 2.5-fold longer, and total medical costs were 4-fold higher in patients with high-voltage burns.


CONCLUSIONS
Young adult males who were injured in industrial accidents constituted the majority of high-voltage burn patients. Incidence of these injuries may be reduced by improvements in training regarding the safe use of electrical devices, and correct installation and safe maintenance of power grids, as well as by a review of occupational safety regulations.
Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Samsun Training and Research Hospital, Samsun-Turkey.
Alper
A
Kurt
Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Samsun Training and Research Hospital, Samsun-Turkey.
Kamil
K
Yıldırım
Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Medicine, Samsun-Turkey. caglayanyagmur@gmail.com.
Çağlayan
Ç
Yağmur
Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Bezm-i Alem Vakif Foundation University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul-Turkey.
Osman
O
Kelahmetoğlu
Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Samsun Training and Research Hospital, Samsun-Turkey.
Ozan
O
Aslan
Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Samsun Training and Research Hospital, Samsun-Turkey.
Murat
M
Gümüş
Department of Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Bezm-i Alem Vakif Foundation University Faculty of Medicine, İstanbul-Turkey.
Ethem
E
Güneren
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001830:Body Surface Area; D002053:Burn Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002058:Burns, Electric / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016272:Occupational Health; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult