Autonomic Nervous System Disorders and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy in Lightning and Electrical Injuries

Abstract

Both lightning and electrical injuries can cause autonomic nervous system (ANS) symptoms and signs (Table 1). Published descriptions of ANS involvement occurring with lightning and electrical injuries are rare. The most often reported neurologic complications of lightning injuries involve the central nervous system. ANS abnormalities have been documented with lightning, although the descriptions are scant. There is a lack of complete clinical information or ANS testing data in these cases. This is usually a result of the transient nature of ANS complications. In electrical injuries, ANS involvement is less well described than for lightning. Electrical injuries can be associated with peripheral nerve damage. As a result of peripheral nerve damage, reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) may occur in patients with electrical injuries. Various treatment strategies for RSD associated with electrical injuries are found in single case reports. This article summarizes ANS involvement, predominantly in lightning injuries, and describes RSD and its treatment, predominantly in electrical injuries.