Study of Electrical Injuries in Fatal Cases in Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Background and Objective: With wide spread use of electricity at home and work place the amount ofelectrical related injuries are on the rise. The present study attempts to know age, sex distribution patternof electrical injuries, cause of death, manner of death, and Histopathological changes in skin with electricalcontact mark and in internal organs.Methods: Study was conducted on deaths due to electrocution brought to Osmania General Hospitalmortuary during the period of one year. Specimen of skin with contact mark and internal organs like heart,kidney was sent for Histopathological examination. Data from police reports and picture evidence from thesite of the accident were retrieved.Result: Total number of 60 cases was studied in one-year period. Much of the casualties were men, belongingto the working age community. 58% of victims died instantaneously due to shock. 37% of the fatalities weredue to complications of severe flash burns. High voltage electrocution constituted 56.66 % of cases. Lowvoltage electrocution constituted 43.33%. High voltage electrocution was identified as flash burns, lowvoltage electrocution was identified as contact mark. Typical Histopathological changes were seen in skinand heart specimen sent for examination. Histopathological changes in kidney were nonspecific.Conclusion: The diagnostic parameters for electrocution are the electrical contact mark. Histopathologicalchanges were used as supportive evidence in determining cause of death. Human negligence, electricaldefective appliances and connexions and lack of safety precautions were the key factors for electrocutiondeath.