Three Limb Amputation Owing to Electrical Burn in a Transformer Building in Child Case

Abstract

Despite the ever increasing awareness and precautionary measures in both the work environment and during leisure, high-voltage electrical injuries unfortunately still happen. They have a tendency to affect a relatively small body surface area, but cause a deep localized burn.1,2 The children's electric injury differ from the adult and generally occur by low voltage which is from household electricity supplies contrary to high voltage which is outside the home.3 A 6-year-old child sustained severe electrical burns caused by touching a high-voltage electric line while he was unlawfully entering and playing into a transformer station. On physical examination, both lower extremities and right arm were extremely oedematous and presenting partial necrosis, whereas the lower extremities were presenting oedema and necrotic areas distally starting from distal third of the lower legs. The extent of burn was 30 percentage of total body surface area. Distal half of both legs lacked an arterial circulation. Because of this, disarticulation of right arm at the level of the shoulders from glenohumoral joints and amputation of both halves of the lower legs were performed in the second day.