Electrical injuries in adult patients – 3 years overview

Andreea Grosu-Bularda,Ioan Lascăr,Adrian Frunză,Florin-Vlad Hodea,Răzvan Nicolae Teodoreanu,Mihaela-Cristina Andrei,Sabina Grama

doi:10.37897/rjmp.2021.3.13

Abstract

Electrocutions are a particular type of trauma, usually affecting young active people, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates in extensive injured patients. Those patients require complex, multidisciplinary treatment in specialized burn centers. We conducted a three-year retrospective study in the Burn Unit of the Clinical Emergency Hospital Bucharest, Romania, aiming to identify different factors that characterize electrical injuries, with the goal to improve our clinical practice, in order to decrease overall complications, the morbidity and mortality rates and obtain an optimal functional prognosis for those severely injured patients. Patient-related and injury-related parameters were analyzed, and particularities observed in our burn unit were noted. A clear understanding of the physiopathology of those injuries and their complications is essential for providing an optimal therapeutic strategy. Rapid initiation of systemic supportive measures, accurate diagnostic and an adequate surgical treatment, correctly conducted, are essential for improving the vital and functional prognostic of patients who suffer electric injuries.

Highlights

A clear understanding of the physiopathology of those injuries and their complications is essential for providing an optimal therapeutic strategy
Electrocutions are a particular type of trauma, divided clinically into two types: high voltage lesions and low voltage lesions
Total burn patients were 269, meaning 8.5% were electrocutions. 10 (43%) patients who suffered electrical injuries died and 2 (9%) of them were transferred to other burn units in other countries

Summary

Introduction

Electrocutions are a particular type of trauma, divided clinically into two types: high voltage lesions and low voltage lesions. Low voltage electrical injuries are similar to thermic burns and usually present full dermal thickness and subdermal cutaneous lesions [1,2]. High voltage electrical injuries may determine various degrees of cutaneous burns, associated with hidden and ample profound cutaneous lesions, called “iceberg tip” lesion. This type of injury determines progressive tissular necrosis, which surpasses the amplitude and localization of cutaneous lesions. The lesions are similar to crush-type traumas, due to both thermal injuries, as well as micro- and macrovascular local changes. The lesion is localized, the metabolic immediate effect is directly proportionate to the affected tissues quantity and initial vascularization status of respective tissues [1,2,3,4,5]

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion