Lightning Injury: A Review and Case Presentations

Abstract

J Edelstein, W Peters, R Cartotto. Lightning injury: A review and case presentations. Can J Plast Surg 1994;2(4):164-168. Lightning injuries are relatively uncommon, although thousands are affected each year. Many patients are left with permanent sequelae. This type of injury is very different from other high voltage electrical injuries. Lightning burns are usually superficial and only about one quarter of those struck by lightning will actually die. The number of deaths can be reduced if proper early resuscitative methods are used. Two lightning-strike victims are presented. The first patient suffered transient neurological abnormalities, eye and ear injuries including permanent sensorineural hearing loss, and superficial burns over 70% of his body surface area. The second patient, who wore bilateral arm prostheses, was struck by lightning while driving his motor boat. The lightning welded one of his prostheses to the steering wheel of the boat. He sustained a 10% partial thickness burn, but had no permanent sequelae. A review of the current literature is presented, including the pathophysiology, multisystem clinical features and treatment of lightning injury.