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Emergent Care of Lightning and Electrical Injuries

Mary Ann Cooper; M.D., FACEP.
Seminars in Neurology, Volume 15, Number 3, September 1995
Copyright 1995

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE AND EPIDEMIOLOGY

While injuries from man-made, generated, or "technical" ' electricity have been
reported for less than 300 years, injuries from lightning must surely predate
written r records Electrical burns account for 4 to 6.5% of all admissions to burn
units in the United States (1,2) and accounted for approximately 800 fatalities per
year in the United States from 1984 through 1987. It is estimated that lightning
causes 75 to 150 deaths per year, with 5 to 10 times more injuries. (3,4)
Most admissions of adults to burn centers from electrical injury are
occupationally related. Almost two thirds of the fatalities occur in people between
the ages of 15 and 40 years. Young children have a predisposition to injuries from
low-voltage sources such as electric cords because of their limited mobility within
a relatively confined environment (5) whereas older children and adolescents
encounter electrical injury through various misadventures.
There is little literature on low voltage injuries or how their morbidity may differ
from high voltage injuries.') Because no agency requires reporting of lightning
injuries and because many persons do not seek treatment at the time of their
injury, the incidence and frequency of injury and death from lightning are difficult
to determine. In years that do not include Hurricane Andrew ( 1992), lightning
killed more people in the United States annually than any other natural disaster
except flash floods, including hurricanes, volcanoes, blizzards, and earthquakes.
(7)) Although farmers used to be the primary victims of lightning, recreationrelated injuries are now the more frequent and studies have noted work-related
injuries juries in as many as 30 to 63% of victims annually. (7,8) Lightning
incidents may involve mote than one victim when the current "splashes" to other
individuals or, as ground current, spreads the electrical power throughout the area
where a group may be sheltered in a storm.'
PHYSICS OF INJURY
For a variety of factors that can affect the severity of the injury. With high-voltage
injuries, most of the injury appears to be thermal and most histologic studies
reveal coagulation necrosis consistent with thermal injury. (9,10) Lee and others
have proposed the theory of electroporation in which electrical charges too small
to produce thermal damage cause protein configuration changes threatening cell

wall integrity and cellular function." Some believe that there may also be
magnetic effects on the tissue The factors that determine the nature and severity of
what is primarily burn injury when high-voltage current flows through the human
body are listed in Table 1. (4)
TYPE OF CIRCUIT
High-voltage direct current (DC) tends to cause a single muscle spasm, often
throwing the victim from the source, resulting in a shorter duration of exposure
but increasing the likelihood of traumatic blunt injury.
Alternating current (AC) is said to be about three times more dangerous than
direct current of the same voltage, because continuous muscle contraction, or
tetany, occurs when the muscle fibers are stimulated at between 40 and 110 times
per second. The frequency of electrical transmission used in the United States is
60 Hz. Tetany occurs even at very low amperages.
It has been customary to use the terms "entry' and "exit" to describe electrical
injuries. Particularly with AC, this is clearly a misnomer and the terms should
correctly he "source" and "ground." The hand is the most common site of contact
as it grasps a tool coming into contact with an electric source. Although all the
muscles of the arm may be tetanically innervated by a shock, the flexors of the
hand and forearm are much stronger than the extensors so that the hand grips the
source of the current. At currents above the let-go threshold (6 to 9 mA), this can
result in the person's being unable to release the current source voluntarily,
prolonging the duration of exposure.
RESISTANCE
Resistance is the tendency of a material to resist the flow of current. Although the exact
pathophysiology of electrical in- flow of current and is specific for a given tissue,
depending on the injury is not well understood, there is at least an appreciation on its
moisture content, temperature, and other physical
Table 1. Factors Determining Electrical Injury
Type of circuit
Resistance of tissues
Amperage
Voltage
Current pathway
Duration
Environmental factors
properties The higher the resistance (R) of a tissue to the flow of current, the greater its
potential to transform electrical energy (1) to thermal energy (P) at any given current, as
described by Joule's law:

P = I^2 X R
Nerves, designed to carry electrical signals, and muscle and blood vessels, because of
their high electrolyte and water content, are good conductors. Bone, tendon, and fat have
a very high resistance and tend to heat up and coagulate rather than transmit current. The
other tissues of the body are intermediate in resistance (Table 2). (14,15) Skin is the
primary resistor to the flow of current into the body (Table 3) (10) Much of the energy
may be dissipated at the skin surface, causing significant surface burns in a heavily
calloused area, sometimes resulting in less deep internal damage than would be expected
if the current were delivered undiminished to the deep tissues. Sweating can decrease the
skin's resistance to 2500 to 3000 Q. Immersion in water can reduce this further to 1200 to
1500 Ohms and thus allow more energy to flow through the body, resulting in
electrocution with cardiac arrest but no surface burns, such as in a bathtub injury
DURATION
In general, the longer the duration of contact with high voltage current, the greater the
degree of tissue destruction. Although there is an extraordinarily high voltage and
amperage with lightning, the extremely short duration and the peculiar physics of
lightning result in a very short flow of current internally, with little, if any, skin
breakdown and almost immediate flashover of current around the body, usually resulting
in little, if any, burning of tissues.(8,16))

Current, expressed in amperes, is a measure of the amount of energy that flows through
an object (Table 4). There is a very narrow range of safety with electric current between
the threshold of perception of current (0.2 to 0 4 mA) and let-go current (6 to 9 mA), the
level at which a person becomes unable to let go of the current source because of
muscular tetany and becomes fixed to the electrical source, lengthening the duration of
contact. Thoracic tetany can occur at levels just above the let-go current and result in
respiratory arrest from the person's inability to move the muscles of respiration.
Ventricular fibrillation is estimated to occur at an amperage of 50 to 120 mA). (17) As the

tissue breaks down under the energy of the current flow, its resistance may change
markedly, making it impossible to predict the amperage for any given electrical injury
VOLTAGE
Voltage is a measure of potential difference between two points. It is determined by the
electrical source. Electrical injuries are conventionally divided into high or low voltage
using 500 or 1000 V as the most common dividing lines. Although both high and low
voltage can cause significant morbidity and mortality, high voltage has a greater potential
for tissue destruction and can be responsible for severe injuries leading to major
amputations and tissue loss.
PATHWAY
The pathway that a current takes determines the tissues at risk, the type of injury seen,
and the degree of conversion of electrical energy to heat regardless of whether high, low,
or lightning voltages are being considered. Current passing through the heart or thorax
can cause cardiac arrhythmias and direct myocardial damage. Current passing through the
brain can result in respiratory

arrest seizures, direct brain injury, and paralysis. Current passing close to the eyes can
cause cataracts.
As current density increases, its tendency to flow through the less-resistant tissues is
overcome, so that it eventually flows through the tissues indiscriminately, treating the
body as a volume conductor, with potential destruction of all tissues in the current's path.
Damage to the internal structures of the body may be irregular, with areas of normalappearing tissue next to burned tissue and with damage to structures at sites distant from
the apparent contact and ground points.
Probably the most important difference between light- and high-voltage electrical injuries
is the duration of exposure to the current. The mathematics of the rapid rise and decay of
lightning energy makes predicting lightning injury even more complicated than
predicting man-made electrical injury. The study of such massive discharges of such short
duration is not well advanced, particularly with regard to effects on the human body.
Lightning current may flow internally for an incredibly short time and cause shortcircuiting of the body's electrical systems, but it seldom causes any significant burns or
tissue destruction (3,15,18) Thus burns and myoglobinuric renal failure play a small part
in the injury pattern from lightning, whereas cardiac and respiratory arrest, vascular
spasm, neurologic damage and autonomic instability play a much greater role. (3,15
Lightning will tend to cause ventricular asystole rather than fibrillation. Although
automaticity causes the heart to begin beating again, the respiratory arrest that often
accompanies cardiac arrest may last long enough to cause secondary deterioration of the
rhythm to ventricular fibrillation and asystole, which is more resistant to therapy than was
the first arrest. (15,18) '9 The secondary arrest, just a theory in the past, has recently been
elegantly shown to occur experimentally in sheep. (16,18) Other injuries caused by blunt

trauma or ischemia from vascular spasm, such as myocardial infarction (20-27) spinal
artery syndromes, may occasionally occur. (28-30)
MECHANISMS OF INJURY
The mechanisms of electrical injury are listed in Table 5. It is often difficult to determine
which mechanism of injury has caused burns at the time of a patient's presentation to the
emergency department. This may make it difficult to assess the injury and offer a
prognosis based on history and physical examination alone. The most destructive indirect
injury occurs when a person becomes part of an electrical arc, since the temperature of an
electrical arc is approximately 2500 degrees Celsius. (14) The arc may cause clothing to
ignite and cause secondary thermal burns. The electrical flash burn usually results in only
superficial partial-thickness burns.
Blunt injury may occur in electrical injury as the person is thrown clear of the source by
intense muscular con-

traction or it may result from a fall from a height. The violent muscle spasms associated
with AC injuries can cause fractures and dislocations. (31.32)
Muscle damage may be spotty, with areas of viable and nonviable muscle found in the
same muscle group. Periosteal muscle damage may occur even though overlying muscle
appears to be normal
Vascular damage is greatest in the media, possibly because of the diffusion of heat away
from the intima by the How of blood, but can lead to delayed hemorrhage when the
vessel eventually breaks down. (14,33,34) Intimal damage may result in either immediate
or delayed thrombosis and vascular occlusion as edema and clots form on the damaged
internal surface of the vessel over a period of days. (34) This injury is usually most severe
in the small muscle branches, where blood flow is slower. (35) This damage to small
arteries in muscle, combined with mixed muscle viability that is not visible to gross
inspection, creates the illusion of "progressive" tissue necrosis. Damage to neural tissue
may occur from many mechanisms. Nerve tissue may show an immediate drop in
conductivity as it undergoes coagulation necrosis similar to that observed in muscle
tissue. In addition, it may suffer indirect damage as its vascular supply or myelin sheaths

are injured. As with other vascular damage and edema formation, signs of neural damage
may develop immediately or be delayed by hours to days.
The brain is frequently injured, because the skull is a common contact point. Histologic
studies of the brain have revealed focal l petechiae in the brain stem, widespread
chromatolysis and cerebral edema. (14)
Immediate death from generated electricity may be from asystole, ventricular fibrillation,
or respiratory paralysis, depending on the voltage and pathway.
Lightning injury may occur by five mechanisms (Table 6). The mechanism of injury of a
direct strike is self-evident . Recently, it has been postulated (20) and substantiated
experimentally in sheep (16,18,36) (18) 36) that lightning strikes near the head may enter
orifices such as the eyes, ears, and mouth to flow internally, as reported in the article by
Andrews in this issue. This would help to explain the myriad eye and ear symptoms and
signs that have been reported with lightning injury.
Injury from contact occurs when the person is touch- object that is part of the pathway of
lightning current, such as a tree or tent pole. Side flash or splash occurs as lightning
jumps from its pathway to a nearby person and adopts the person as its pathway.
(3,28,33,37) 33 3'
Step voltage occurs as a result of lightning current spreading radically through the
ground. A person who has one foot closer than the other to the strike point will have a
potential difference between the feet so that a current may be induced through the legs
and body. This is a frequent killer of large livestock such as cattle and horses because of
the distance between their hind legs and forelegs. (3)

Blunt injury from lighting may occur as the person is thrown by the opisthotonic
contraction caused by current passing through the body and from the explosive/implosive
fore c caused as the lightning pathway is instantaneously superheated and then rapidly
cooled after the passage of the lightning is over. The heating is seldom long enough to
cause severe burns but does cause rapid expansion of air followed by rapid implosion of
the cooled air as it rushes back into the void. (3)

DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
Electrical injuries are usually self-evident from history and physical surroundings, except
in the case of bathtub accidents, where no burns occur, or of foul play. It is necessary to
attempt to differentiate between mechanisms of burn injury because flash burns have a
much better prognosis than arc or conductive burns. Injuries from blunt trauma and falls
may also be present.
The differential diagnosis for lightning injuries is more complex, often because the
incident is unobserved (Table 7). It includes the differential for unconsciousness,
paralysis, or disorientation from a number of causes. (3) Evidence- of a thunderstorm or a
witness to the lightning strike may not be available. The presence of typical burn patterns,
when present, may be helpful.
CLINICAL FINDINGS AND MANAGEMENT
RESUSCITATION AND TRIAGE AT THE SCENE
Once the accident scene is controlled, a quick initial assessment of the patient is indicated
with attention to the airway, breathing, and circulation. High-flow oxygen and intubation
should be provided if necessary. Cardiac monitoring is essential and, if the patient is in
cardiac arrest, standard advanced life support protocols should be instituted.
Electrical injury patients often require a combination of cardiac and trauma care, since
they often have blunt injuries and burns as well as cardiac damage. At least one largebore intravenous line of normal saline or Ringer s lactate solution should be started, with
fluid resuscitation dependent on the degree of apparent injury. Injury to the cervical spine
should be presumed, and protective measures provided until it can be excluded on the
basis of history, physical examination, or radiologic study. Use of a backboard, as with
other trauma patients, is helpful for both stabilization and transport. Any fractures should
be splinted and burns dressed with clean, dry dressings. An electrical injury should be
treated like a crush injury rather than a thermal burn because of the large amount of tissue
damage under normal skin. No formula for optimal intravenous fluids based upon
percentage of burned body surface area can be counted on. A bolus of 10 to 20 ml/kg of
isotonic fluid can reasonably be given to a hypotensive patient
I The major cause of death in lightning injuries is car-arrest est.'!' In the absence of
cardiopulmonary arrest, patients are highly unlikely to die of any other cause."' Lightning
acts like a cosmic DC countershock, sending the heart into asystole. (3,16) Although
automaticity may lead to the heart s restarting, the respiratory arrest often lasts longer
than the cardiac pause and may lead to a secondary cardiac arrest with ventricular
fibrillation from hypoxia. (3,19.33) If the patient is properly ventilated during the time
between the two arrests, the second arrest may theoretically be avoided. Hypothermia
should also be ruled out when patients have been soaked with rainwater.

EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT ASSESSMENT AND RESUSCITATION

The patient after an electrical injury is often unable to give a good history, either because
of the severity of injury and accompanying shock and hypoxia or because of
unconsciousness or confusion that often accompanies less severe in juries. History from
bystanders and emergency medical personnel regarding the type of electrical source,
duration of contact, environmental factors at the scene, and resuscitative measures
provided can be helpful. Information on prior medical problems, medication history,
tetanus immunization status, and allergies should be sought. Likewise, the patient after a
lightning strike, as in other environmental emergencies, may be unable to provide a
history, and bystanders stories of the incident may be confused. Although it is interesting
to try to unravel the history, this is often difficult to do and may take unnecessary time
during the acute resuscitation phase. With both types of injuries, the patient may grossly
appear to be alert, oriented and able to repeat his history and give complaints, but this
does not preclude serious functional brain injury similar to that found with blunt head
injury patients. All patients receiving a high-voltage injury should be transported to a
hospital and receive an electrocardiogram (EGG), cardiac isoenzyme level study,
urinalysis for myoglobin, complete blood count (CBC), and other tests and radiographic
studies as appropriate for their injuries. Resuscitative efforts should be continued in the
emergency department with adequate fluid administration and insertion of a Foley
catheter for the more severely injured electrical patient. If rhabdomyolysis is present,
appropriate treatment should be carried out, with a rate sufficient to maintain a urine
output of at least 1.0 to 1.5 ml/kg/hr when heme pigment is present in the urine and 0.5 to
1.0 ml/kg/hr when it is not. Because burns from lightning and low-voltage sources
seldom involve deep tissues, myoglobinuria and the need for fluid loading, mannitol or
furosemide diuresis or fasciotomy for compartment syndromes are rare. (3,19,28.38) '9
If cardiac arrest or suspected intracranial injuries occur in lightning patients, fluid
restriction may actually be desirable to avoid pulmonary edema and increased intracranial
pressure. (3,19,39,40) Patients with lightning and low-voltage injuries may present with
little objective evidence of injury or, alternately, cardiopulmonary arrest. After initial
resuscitation of these patients, other conditions may be identified. These are rarely lifethreatening Such patients too may have significant residual morbidity from pain
syndromes or neurologic and cognitive damage that is similar to that experienced with
blunt head injury. (41-49) (see Primeau and Engelstatter in this issue of Seminars) .
HEAD AND NECK
The head is a common point of contact for high volt-injuries and the patient may exhibit
burns as well as neurologic damage. Cataracts develop in approximately 6 percent of
cases of high-voltage injuries and should be suspected whenever electrical injury has
occurred in the vicinity of the head. (50) Although cataracts may be present initially or
develop shortly after the accident. they more typically begin to appear months after the
injury. Visual acuity and fun- examination should be performed at presentation or as soon
as practical for documentation. Referral to an ophthalmologist familiar with electrical
cataract formation may be necessary after the patient s discharge from the hospital.
(51,52)

Cataracts may also occur with lightning injuries but are probably less common. (3,19,54)
Clinical findings in lightning pa tie patients may include skull fractures. (3,28,29,54)
Typanic membrane rupture is frequently found h1 lightning patients and may be
secondary to the shock waves direct burn or basilar skull fracture. (3,19,55) Although
most recover without serious sequelae '9 disruption of the ossicles and mastoid (19,55)
may occur as well as cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea hematympanic and permanent deafness.
(56-60) Other injuries to the eyes may include corneal lesions, uveitis, iridocyclitis,
vitreous hemorrhage, optic atrophy, retinal detach, and chorioretinitis. Cervical spine
injury may be caused by a fall or being thrown in either type of injury.
CARDIAC INJURY
Cardiac arrest either from asystole or ventricular fibrillation is a common presenting
condition in electrical accidents. Other observed presenting arrhythmias include sinus
tachycardial transient ST elevation reversible QT prolongation premature ventricular
contractions atrial fibrillation and bundle branch block. (33,65-68) Acute myocardial
infarction has been reported but seems to be relatively rare. (67, 69-71 Recent research
has shown that damage to skeletal muscles may produce an inordinate rise in the vtrsyinr
creatine kinase (CK) MB fraction leading to a spurious diagnosis of myocardial infarction
in some settings.(7)
In lightning injuries cardiac damage or arrest caused by either the electric shock or
induced vascular spasm may occur. (2?) Lightning patients who do not have
cardiopulmonary arrest at the time of the strike generally do well with supportive therapy.
(3,19) Those who have cardiopulmonary arrest may have a poor prognosis particularly if
there is hypoxic brain damage. (3,19,39)
Numerous arrhythmias have been reported with light-injuries in the absence of cardiac
arrest. (3,14) Nonspecific ST-T wave-segment changes and prolonged QT interval may
occur and serum levels of cardiac enzymes are some- elevated. (3,38,73-75) ';
Hypertension is often present initially with lightning injury but usually resolves in an
hour or two so that treatment is not usually necessary. (3)
Although ECG changes and arrhythmias are common with electrical injuries large series
of patients have underTable 8. Indications for Electrocardiographic Monitoring
Cardiac arrest
Documented loss of consciousness
Arrhythmia observed in prehospital or emergency department setting
History of cardiac disease
Presence of significant risk factors for cardiac disease
Concomitant injury severe enough to warrant admission
Suspicion of conductive injury

Hypoxia
Chest pain
gone anesthesia and surgical procedures in the first 48 hours of care without cardiac
complications. If the patient has none of the indications listed in Table 8 cardiac
monitoring probably is not necessary or can be safely discontinued after 12 hours of
normal rhythms. (39) Invasive monitoring such as for central venous pressure or
intracranial pressure and use of Swan-Ganz catheters should be guided by the patient s
status. (40,76)
CUTANEOUS INJURY
Other than cardiac arrest the most devastating immediate injuries that can accompany an
electrical injury are burns. The most common sites of contact for the current include the
hands and the skull. The most common areas of ground are the heels. There may be
multiple contact and ground points.
Because high-voltage current often flows internally and can create massive muscle
damage one should not attempt to predict the amount of underlying tissue damage from
the amount of cutaneous involvement or use the rule of nines for calculating fluid
resuscitation. (15, 33) Cutaneous burns should be covered with antibiotic dressings such
as mafenide acetate (Sulfamylon) or sulfadiazine silver (Silvadene). (77) (78) Mafenide is
preferable for localized full-thickness burns because of its better penetration. Sulfadiazine
silver may be preferable for patients with extensive burns: when Mafenide is used on
more than 15 to 20% of the body electrolyte abnormalities may occur because it inhibits
carbonic anhydrase. Electrical burns are especially prone to tetanus infection and patients
should receive tetanus toxoid and tetanus immune globulin on the basis of their
immunization history. Clostridial myositis is common but prophylactic administration of
high-dose penicillin to prevent clostridial myonecrosis is controversial and should be
discussed with the managing surgeon or burn unit. In general systemic antibiotics are
usually not used unless there is infection proved by culture or biopsy.
A peculiar type of burn associated with electrical injury is the kissing burn which occurs
at the flexor creases as the electric current arcs causing arc burns on both flexor surfaces.
(16) Extensive underlying tissue damage is often present here where the current became
concentrated in its passage. Severe burns to the skull and occasionally to the aura have
been reported. (79-82)
A special type of burn from low-voltage injuries is the mouth burns that occur secondary
to sucking on household electrical extension cords and are the most common electrical
injury seen in children under 4 years of age. (5) These burns usually represent local arc
burns may involve the oricularis oris muscle and are especially worrisome when the
commissure is involved because of the need for splint and the likelihood of cosmetic
deformity. (83-85) A significant risk of delayed bleeding from the labial artery exists
when the eschar separates. (84, 85) s 8's Damage to developing dentition has been

reported and referral to an oral surgeon familiar with electrical injuries is recommended.
(83, 86)
With lightning injuries the skin may show no signs of injury initially. Deep burns occur in
less than 5% of the reported injuries.' As mentioned previously burns are usually
superficial if present at all. They may consist of four typeset l, l ~
I. Linear bums tend to occur in areas where sweat or water accumulates (for example,
under the arms or down the chest) (19)
2. Punctate burns appear like multiple small cigarette burns often with a heavier central
concentration in a rosette like pattern They seldom require grafting. (88)
3. Feathering burns are not true burns and actually show no damage to the skin itself. (87)
They seem to be a complex caused by electron showers induced by the lightning and
make a fern pattern on the skin.(87,89,90) They require no therapy. Regular thermal
burns occur if the clothing is ignited (88) or may be caused by metal that the person is
wearing or carrying (87) that heats up with the flashover 4. Combinations of all of these
may occur. (3)
EXTREMITY INJURY
In high-voltage injuries muscle necrosis can extend to sites distant from the observed skin
injury and compartment syndromes can occur secondary to vascular ischemia and muscle
edema. With electrical injuries the thought in regard to damaged extremities is to favor
early and aggressive surgical management including early decompressive escharotomy
fasciotomy carpal tunnel release or even amputation of an obviously nonviable extremity.
(2,5,91,94) Although it is preferable to stabilize the patient prior to transfer to the
operating room this is not always possible.
Extremities that have teen burned should be splinted in functional position to minimize
edema and contracture formation. The hand should be splinted in 35° to 45°
extension at the wrist 80° to 90° flexion at the metacarpophalaneals and almost
full extension of the proximal interphalaneal and distal interphalangeal joints to minimize
the space available for edema formation. (93) During the first several days of
hospitalization frequent monitoring of the neurovascular status of all extremities is
essential.
Fractures of most of the long bones and spine (95) because of trauma associated with
electrical injury have been reported. Both posterior and anterior shoulder dislocations
caused by tetanic spasm of the rotator cuff muscles have been reported but do not seem to
be as common as most texts stress.''-" Numerous types of fractures and dislocations have
been reported with lightning injury.'
VASCULAR INJURY

Vascular damage from the electrical energy may be evident early or late (34,35) Because
the arteries are a high-flow system heat may be dissipated fairly well and result in little
apparent initial damage but thrombosis with subsequent thrombosis or rupture The veins
on the other hand, arc a low-flow system allowing the heat energy to cause more rapid
Pulses and capillary refill should be assessed and documented in all extremities, and
neurovascular checks should be repeated x frequently
This progressive vascular compromise can cause a burn that initially was assessed as a
partial-thickness burn develop into a full-thickness burn as the vascular supply to the
area becomes compromised. Progressive loss of muscle because of vascular ischemia
downstream from damaged vessels may lead to the need for repeated deep debridements.

NERVOUS SYSTEM
Acutely, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is indicated
to rule out intracranial hemorrhage or other injury in any patient with neurologic
deterioration or clouded mental status. (19,76,96,96a,b,c) With high-voltage injuries, loss
of consciousness may occur but is usually transient unless there has been a significant
head injury as well, although prolonged coma with recovery has been reported. Patients
may exhibit confusion, Pat affect, and difficulty with short-term memory and
concentration (see Primeau and Engelstatter in this issue of Seminars). A seizure may
occur after electrical injury as either an isolated event or part of a new-onset seizure
disorder. (4) Hypoxia and injury should be ruled out as causes of the seizure. Neurologic
symptoms may improve, but long-term disability is common.
Spinal cord injury may result from fractures of the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spine (95,
97-99) Neurologic damage in patients without evidence of spine injury seems to follow
two patterns, immediate and delayed. (97,98,100) Patients with immediate damage
develop symptoms of weakness and paresthesias within hours of the insult, although
extremity weakness frequently goes undiagnosed until ambulation is attempted. (41,97)
Lower extremity findings are more common than upper extremity findings. These
patients have a good prognosis for partial or complete recovery. Delayed neurologic
damage may present from days to years after the insult. (The question of causal
connection is addressed elsewhere in this issue of Seminars.) The findings usually fall
into three clinical pictures: ascending paralysis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or
transverse myelitis. (99) Although recovery has been reported, the prognosis is usually
poor. (97)
With lightning, up to two thirds of the seriously injured patients have keraunoparalysis on
initial presentation, with lower and sometimes upper extremities that are blue, mottled,
cold, and pulseless because of vascular spasm and sympathetic nervous system
instability. (19,101) Generally, this clears within a few hours, although some patients may
be left with permanent paresis or paresthesias. (3,19,25,33) Paraplegia (2) intracranial
hemorrhages (57,77,97) creatinine kinase (CK) MB isoenzyme elevations, 3. 38, 73-75)

75 seizures, 89 and electroencephalographic (EEG) changes have been reported.' The vast
majority of lightning patients will behave as though they have had electroconvulsive
therapy, being confused and having anterograde amnesia for several days after the
incident. Loss of consciousness for varying periods is common. (19,103)
Peripheral nerve damage is common, and recovery is usually poor for all types of
electrical injuries. (45,104)
Table 9. Primary Complications and Causes of Death in Electrical Injuries in
Temporal Order of Occurrence
Cardiopulmonary arrest
Overwhelming injuries
Cardiac arrhythmias
Hypoxia and electrolytes
Intracranial injuries
Myoglobinuric renal failure
Abdominal injuries
Sepsis
Tetanus
Iatrogenic
Suicide
A syndrome of delayed muscle atrophy caused by electrical injury of the nerves has
been described even in the absence of cutaneous burns. (32)
VISCERAL INJURY
Injury to the lungs may occur because of associated blunt trauma but is rare from
electrical current perhaps because air is a poor conductor. injury to solid visceral organs is
rare but damage to the pancreas and liver has been reported. (105) Injuries to hollow
viscera including the small intestine , (106,107) large intestine , (14,105) bladder
(81,106) and gallbladder. (105) have also been reported. With lightning pulmonary
contusion and hemorrhage have been reported . (29,108,109) Blunt abdominal injuries
have been reported but are rare/ (3) None of the other intraabdominal catastrophes
associated with electrical injury has been reported with lightning injury.
LOW VOLTAGE INJURIES
Evaluation of low-voltage injuries should include a good history because injury that
initially appears to be from a low-voltage source may turn out to have been caused by a
discharge from a capacitor (as in the repair of televisions and convection or microwave
ovens) or other high-energy source. Although burns from low-voltage sources are
usually less severe than those from high-voltage sources , (5,6,110,111)
patients may
still complain of paresthesias for an extended period experience cardiac arrhythmias or

develop cataracts if the shock occurs close to the face or head. Low voltage mouth
injuries in children were discussed in the section of this article on cutaneous injuries.
COMPLICATIONS
The complications of high-voltage electrical burns are listed in Table 9. Cardiac arrest
generally occurs only with the initial presentation or as a final event after a long and
complicated hospital course.
Many of the complications are like those of thermal burns and crush injuries; they include
infection clostridial myositis and myoglobinuria The incidence of acute myoglobinuric
renal failure seems to have decreased since the institution of adequate fluid therapy.
Fasciotomies or carpal tunnel release may be necessary for treatment of compartment
syndromes. (91-94) Tissue loss and major amputations are common with severe highvoltage injuries and result in the need for extensive rehabilitation.
A nasogastric tube should be placed in the seriously injured patient because of the risk of
adynamic ileus and stress ulceration. Ulcer prophylaxis with H(2) blockers or sucralfate
(Carafate) may be beneficial. Peritoneal ravage or abdominal CT scan may be indicated
to rule out intrabdominal injuries if the ileus seems to be prolonged or if the history and
physical examination indicate it.
A head CT or MRI scan is also indicated to rule out intracranial injuries and hemorrhage
if the patient s level of consciousness does not markedly improve during the emergent
course.
Ophthalmologic documentation is important in those patients having injury upward from
the shoulders since they can develop cataracts.
Neurologic complications such as loss of consciousness difficulty with memory and
concentration (47-49) peripheral nerve damage (46,104) and delayed spinal cord
syndromes may occur. (41,95, 97-100) Damage to the brain may result in a permanent
seizure disorder. (54)
Stress ulcers are the most common gastrointestinal complication after burn ileus
Abdominal injuries from ischemia vascular damage burns or associated blunt trauma may
be missed initially, 14,81,105-111) The most common causes of hospital mortality are
pneumonia sepsis, and multiple organ failure because of the complexity of the injury.
Long-term psychiatric sequelae include body image changes marital problems inability to
continue working in the same profession and suicide. Treatment for lightning patients can
usually be based primarily on routine common-sense treatment of their presenting
injuries with attention and follow-up for the long term problems of pain and cognitive
dysfunction. In the past patients with lightning injuries have often been treated like those
with high-voltage injuries. However these injuries are distinctly different. High-voltage
injuries tend to cause deep internal injuries myoglobinurea renal failure shock and

massive loss of tissue and function. Lightning injuries tend to cause few external or
internal burns and rarely cause myoglobinuria. There is usually little tissue loss although
there may certainly be permanent functional impairment. As a result treatment of
lightning patients rarely requires massive fluid resuscitation fasciotomies for
compartment syndromes mannitol and furosemide diuretics alkalinization of the urine
amputations or large repeated debridements. In fact most lightning patients particularly
those with head injuries should probably have their fluids restricted to decrease the
likelihood of cerebral edema.
LABORATORY, ELECTROCARDIOGRAPHIC, AND RADIOLOGIC
EVALUATION
The laboratory evaluation of the patient sustaining an electrical injury depends on the
extent of injury. All patients with evidence of conductive injury or significant surface
burns should have the following laboratory tests: CBC electrolyte level serum myoglobin
blood urea nitrogen creatinine level and urinalysis with special attention to
myoglobinuria. Patients with severe electrical injury or suspected intra-abdominal injury
should also have obtained amylase aspartate and alanine transaminases alkaline
phosphatase and clotting indexes. (68) Sending blood for type and cross-match should be
considered, particularly if major debridement embridements may be necessary. Arterial
blood gas determinations arc indicated if the patient needs ventilatory interior or alkali
therapy.
All patients should be evaluated for myoglobinuria a common complication of electrical
injury. A patient with an ortho-toluidine dipstick examinationa of the urine that is positive
for blood, but with no red blood cells seen on microscopic analysis, should be presumed
to have myoglobinuria and be treated accordingly. creatine kinase CK levels should be
determined and isoenzyme analysis performed Peak CK levels have been shown to
predict the amount of muscle injury, risk of amputation, and ultimate hospital stay;
however, the clinical value of a single level in the acute setting has not been established."
Cardiac enzyme levels should be interpreted with care in diagnosing myocardial
infarction in the setting of electrical injury. The peak CK level is not indicative of
myocardial damage in electrical injury because of the large amount of muscle injury.
Although CK-MB fractions, ECG changes, thallium studies, angiography, and
echocardiography have correlated poorly in most reports of acute myocardial infarction,
(66,67,69) cases of infarction with all of these present have been reported. it' Recent
human studies have indicated that skeletal muscle cells damaged by electrical current can
contain as much as 20% to 25% CK-MB fraction, as opposed to the usual 2% to 3%,
suggesting injured skeletal muscle as the source of the elevated CK-MB fraction and not
true myocardial injury." All patients sustaining an electrical injury should receive cardiac
monitoring in the emergency department and an ECG regardless of whether the source
was high or low voltage. Indications for admission for ECG monitoring are listed in Table
8.'969
Radiographs of the cervical spine should be performed if spinal injury is likely.
Radiographs of any other areas in which the patient complains of pain or has an apparent

deformity should be performed. CT scan and MRI may be useful in evaluation of trauma
and are essential for evaluation of possible intracranial injuries, particularly if the patient
does not show progressive improvement in level of consciousness (56, 76, 96, 96c)
In lightning patients, studies should include CBC, urine for myoglobin (using the Quick
visual check and dipstick methods), and an ECG. Cardiac isoenzymes are indicated in
patients with chest pains, abnormal ECGs, or altered mental states. Other laboratory
examinations may be indicated by the severity of the patient's injuries (for example,
arterial blood gas measurement if he or she is on a ventilator). Radiographic studies,
particularly cerebral scanning, may be indicated, again depending on the individual
patient's presentation and progress during evaluation and treatment.(96)
DISPOSITION
All patients with significant electrical burns should be stabilized and transferred to a
regional burn center with expertise in electrical injuries, if possible. (94) In addition to
burn care and extensive occupational and physical rehabilitation, severely injured patients
may need counseling for themselves and their family because of the extensive life
changes consequent to the injury.
Purely thermal burns should be treated as such and disposition made accordingly with
appropriate close follow-up.
Asymptomatic patients with low-voltage injuries in the absence of significant cutaneous
involvement changes or urinary heme pigment can probably be discharged safely will,
reflect in follow-up.
Indications for admission for 12 to 24 hour ECG monitoring are listed in Table 8. Any
case in which corporal conduction is suspected should probably be admitted for
monitoring. Patients should be informed of the potential for development of delayed
cataracts, weakness, and paresthesias, and appropriate referrals made if these develop.
Electrical injury during pregnancy from low voltage sources hits been reported to result
in stillbirth. (113) Obstetric consultation should probably obtained in all pregnant patients
reporting electrical injury, regardless of any symptomatology a the time of presentation.
Patients in the second and third trimesters should receive fetal monitoring and be
followed as high-risk patients for the remainder of their pregnancy. (114) First trimester
patients should be informed of the risk of spontaneous abortion and if no other
inclinations for admission exist, may be discharged with instructions for threatened
miscarriage and close obstetric follow up. Prognosis for fetal survival after lightning
stroke varies. (3, 19) Consultation with other specialists may be indicated for otic and
ophthalmic damage, although these are usually' not emergent considerations.
Treatment of pediatric patients with oral burns is more controversial. There is good
evidence for cardiac injury, need for ECG monitoring, or occurrence of myoglobinuria in
isolated oral burns. In general, these patients need surgical and dental consultation for

planning of debridement, oral splinting, and, occasionally, reconstructive surgery. Since

there is a 10% risk of delayed hemorrhage from the labial artery, some centers
recommend admission until separation of the eschar occurs. Admission for observation
and planning of definitive therapy is also recommended by some centers. Treatment of
patients with lightning injuries usually calls for simple common sense and patience.
Many of the signs, such as lower extremity paralysis and mottling and the neurologic
signs of confusion and amnesia, resolve with time and need only observation, provided
spinal cord and intracranial injuries have been ruled out. More severely injured lightning
patients may need both trauma and cardiology consultations although lightning injuries
tend to be more of a medical problem than a trauma problem in most cases.
SUMMARY
High-voltage electrical injuries may be devastating, with extensive burns, cardiac arrest,
amputations, and long, complicated hospitalizations. Low-voltage injuries, after other
pathologic and high-voltage sources are ruled out, tend to be rather benign acutely
although they may have significant long-term morbidity, including chronic pain
syndromes.
Lightning injuries affect 800 to 1000 persons per year.(9) In lightning injury, cardiac
arrest is the main cause of death, burns tend to be superficial, and injuries often are what
one would expect of short-circuiting or overloading the body's electrical systems
(tinnitus, blindness, confusion, amnesia, cardiac arrhythmias, and vascular instability
). Although high-voltage injuries may require the services of trauma Puma surgeons, in
general, therapy for low-voltage and lightning Jury is supportive and involves cardiac r
resuscitation for the more seriously injured and supportive care for the less severely
injured. long-term problems from sleep disturbances, anxiety attacks, pain syndromes,
peripheral nerve damage, fear of storms (for lightning patients), and diffuse neurologic
and neuropsychological damage may occur in electrical and lightning patients.(42) Other
sequclae such as seizures or severe brain damage from hi hypoxia during cardiac arrest
and spinal artery syndrome vascular spasm are indirect results of electrical and lightning
injury.

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Surv; 44- 330-1

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Electrical Injuries
Last Updated: March 4, 2005

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Synonyms and related keywords: electrical shock, electrical burns, lightning injury,
electrocution, low-voltage injury, high-voltage injury, nerve depolarization, muscle depolarization,
alternating current injury, AC injury, thermal burns, electrical flashes, direct current electrical
injuries, DC electrical injuries, flash burns, arc burns, contact burns, internal electrical injury,
external electrical energy, burn treatment, electrical injury treatment, myoglobinuria,
myoglobinemia, lightning strike

AUTHOR INFORMATION

Section 1 of 11

Author Information Introduction Clinical Differentials Workup Treatment Medication Follow-up Miscellaneous Pictures
Bibliography

Author: Ronald K Wright, MD, JD, Director of Forensic Pathology, Associate

Professor, Department of Pathology, University of Miami/Jackson Memorial
Hospital
Ronald K Wright, MD, JD, is a member of the following medical societies:
American College of Legal Medicine, American Medical Association, American
Society of Clinical Pathologists, Association for the Advancement of Automotive
Medicine, and National Association of Medical Examiners
Editor(s): Jerry Balentine, DO, Professor of Emergency Medicine, New York

College of Osteopathic Medicine; Medical Director, Saint Barnabas Hospital;

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine; Eric
Legome, MD, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine, New York University
Medical School; Consulting Staff, Department of Emergency Medicine, Bellevue
Hospital Center, New York University Hospital, Manhattan VA Hospital; John
Halamka, MD, Chief Information Officer, CareGroup Healthcare System,
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Department of Emergency Medicine, Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Center; Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical
School; and Barry Brenner, MD, PhD, FACEP, Professor of Emergency
Medicine, Professor of Internal Medicine, and Professor of Anatomy and
Neurobiology, Chairman, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of
Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Disclosure

INTRODUCTION

Section 2 of 11

Author Information Introduction Clinical Differentials Workup Treatment Medication Follow-up Miscellaneous Pictures
Bibliography

Background: Electrical injuries are infrequent but eventually are encountered by most
practitioners of emergency medicine. These injuries encompass various diagnostic and
treatment modalities. Generally, they may be classified as lightning, low voltage, and
high voltage. Further, each of these may be subclassified depending on whether the
person with the injury required cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Pathophysiology: Electrons flowing abnormally through the body of a person produce
injury and/or death by depolarizing muscles and nerves, initiating abnormal electrical
rhythms in the heart and brain, and producing electrical burns both by heating and by
poration (producing holes in cell membranes) of the cellular membranes.
Current passing through the brain, in both low-voltage and high-voltage circuits,
produces unconsciousness instantly and directly because of the depolarization of the
brain's neurons. Alternating current (AC) may produce ventricular fibrillation if the path
of the current involves a passage through the chest, arm to arm, arm to leg, or head to
arm.
Circuits through a person that last for protracted periods (minutes) produce ischemic
brain damage if they interfere with respiratory movement. All circuits may produce
myonecrosis, myoglobinemia, and myoglobinuria and their attendant complications.
Circuits may produce electrical burns with relatively massive amounts of tissue

destruction by heating the tissues (physical property of friction from the passages of
electrons [joule heating]) and by the destruction of cell membranes by producing holes in
the membranes (poration).
In addition, thermal burns resulting from electrical flashes generally are considered
electrical injuries, although such injuries may not involve a circuit through a person.
Frequency:

In the US: More than 500 lightning deaths and generated electrical deaths
per year are estimated to occur. Between 3-5% of burn unit admissions
are associated with electrical burns.

Mortality/Morbidity: Morbidity and mortality depend upon a broad range of factors

unique to each exposure.

Lightning: Overall, the survival rate following a lightning strike is greater

than 50%. If cardiac and/or respiratory arrest has occurred, prolonged
CPR may result in recovery. Unfortunately, prolonged arrest comes with
an increasing probability of permanent brain injury, persistent vegetative
states, and brain death.

Low-voltage electrical injury without cardiac and/or respiratory arrest: This

situation is encountered frequently in children who bite extension cords.
The burns of the mouth are often severe and require extensive plastic
revision. However, systemic problems are infrequent.

Low-voltage electrical injury with cardiac and/or respiratory arrest: These

patients often are not transported to the ED since they are pronounced
dead at the scene. If they are transported to the ED and if CPR has been
prompt and effective, they may completely recover, usually with no
apparent injury. Unfortunately, as with lightning, protracted periods without
brain perfusion result in permanent brain damage.
High-voltage injury: Generally, patients who have been in high-voltage
circuits do not arrest but have extensive injuries from burns and are at risk
of acute and chronic problems from myoglobinuria. Electrical burns from
high-voltage circuits generally are much worse than they appear in the
ED.

Race: No racial variation is apparent in electrical injury susceptibility. Historically,

tradespersons in the United States have been predominately white; thus, the number of
injuries has shown a white predominance in the United States.
Sex: According to Dalziel, females are more perceptive of low-intensity electrical
current. However, females are markedly underrepresented in injury and death, probably
because of lack of exposure.

Age: Electrical injuries are most frequent in young adult men aged 20-40 years. This
probably reflects exposure opportunities more than differences in susceptibility.

CLINICAL

Section 3 of 11

Author Information Introduction Clinical Differentials Workup Treatment Medication Follow-up Miscellaneous Pictures
Bibliography

History: Because of multiple causes in electrical injury cases, the history can be obvious
or subtle. In any case involving cardiorespiratory arrest, some consideration of the
possibility of electrocution should be entertained.

Lightning: Patients who come to the ED generally are observed to have

been struck by lightning with the characteristic flash and boom. Usually,
patients are rendered unconscious or they arrest, and history must be
obtained from bystanders.

Low-voltage alternating current: Low voltage is 600 or fewer volts, the type
of voltage encountered in domestic and industrial wiring. Injuries from lowvoltage AC can be subcategorized into those with and those without
cardiac and/or respiratory arrest and/or loss of consciousness.
o

Low voltage without loss of consciousness and/or arrest

Typically, these patients are infants and young children who
bite into appliance cords. The circuit generally is restricted to
the mouth. The adult can almost always relate that the child
was found with the cord in his or her mouth.
Older children and adults may be injured this way while
working on electrical appliances or home electrical circuits,
when the circuit does not involve the heart or brain.

Low voltage with loss of consciousness and/or arrest

The presentation may be so subtle that the correct diagnosis
may be missed.
Always be alert to the possibility that a sudden arrest may be
the result of an electric circuit. Query rescue workers,
coworkers, family, and friends about this possibility. Inquire if
a scream was heard before the collapse. If so, it probably
was caused by the involuntary contraction of the chest
muscles; consider the cause of the arrest electrical until
excluded.

High-voltage alternating current: These cases involve voltages of more

than 600 volts. Generally, the injuries are so characteristic that history
taking is less important than in low-voltage injuries. However, 2
possibilities exist.
o

High voltage without loss of consciousness and/or arrest

This is the characteristic situation with an electrical injury
from high voltage. Unless the circuit has a high-resistance
pathway, voltages of more than 600 volts usually do not
cause cardiac and/or respiratory arrest.
Thus, the history obtained from the patient should indicate
how the injury occurred.
Details of the voltages can be obtained from the power
company.

High voltage with arrest and/or loss of consciousness

This is the more unusual presentation of patients with highvoltage circuit injuries observed in the ED.
If the circuit traverses the head, the person loses
consciousness and develops amnesia concerning the events
immediately preceding the injury. Thus, direct history taking
to rescue personnel, coworkers, family, or friends who have
knowledge of the circumstances.
Details of the voltages can be obtained from the power
company.

Direct current: Direct current (DC) electrical injuries generally are

observed in electrical train circuits. These often involve risk-taking
behavior by young males. Arrest and coma are rarely, if ever, observed.
The history can be obtained from the patient.

Physical: Include a careful documentation of injuries in the physical examination.

Depending upon the voltage, some differences exist when examining the patient. Because
litigation may well be involved at a later date, photographs of the injuries should be
taken.

High voltage (and occasionally, low voltage with flash burns): Burns
characterize these cases. Some attention to the characteristics and nature
of the burns assists in treatment.
o

Flash or thermal burns

These are observed in some low-voltage and occasionally in
high-voltage injuries.
These burns appear to be indistinguishable from ordinary
thermal burns and often do not have an internal electrical
component.

Using the same techniques as with any burn case, diagram

the body areas and estimate severity.

Arc burns
Arc burns characteristically have a dry parchment center and
a rim of congestion about them. The central parchment area
may be smaller than 1 mm or may be as large as several
centimeters.
Recognition of these injuries is important in assessing the
extent of internal damage.

Contact burns
Contact electrical burns generally have a pattern from the
contacted item and are more limited in size than flash burns,
although their appearance otherwise is nearly identical to a
flash burn.
One means of distinguishing between the 2 burns involves
hair-bearing skin; in such skin, a contact burn of apparent full
thickness has unburned hair, whereas a flash burn always
singes the hair, which generally is gone.

Documenting types of burns

Arc and contact burns are associated with internal electrical
injury; flash burns are not.
Entrance and exit burns in alternating electrical injuries are
not possible because AC does not produce such wounds.
However, AC produces arcing and contact burns. These are
markers of where the circuit traversed the body.

Low voltage: Low-voltage injuries may involve flash burns from various
sources. These behave exactly as ordinary thermal burns and should be
documented as such. However, also document electrical burns.
o

Arcing burns
Arcing burns are not observed in low-voltage injuries.
Thermal burns from arcs, in which the arc traveled from an
energized conductor to a grounded conductor, are observed.
These are the flash type.

Direct contact burns

Direct contact burns are observed only if the circuit through
the person was prolonged for more than a few seconds.
Low voltage contains insufficient heat to produce skin burns
quickly. Thus, the areas where electrical contact occurred
often are not distinguishable on physical examination or only
exhibit focal erythema.

Lightning: Findings in a lightning strike victim are widely variable. Burns

generally are not significant but should be documented. They generally
are of the flash type. Singeing of the hair without burning is characteristic.
Look for the following items, which are not routine:
o

Scrotal and penile burns

In males, occasional burning occurs on the undersurface of
the scrotum. This injury needs to be identified for early
treatment.
The postictal state with which the usual lightning patient
presents often makes early identification of these lesions
from complaints of pain unlikely.

Ear lesions
The presence of perforation of the eardrum is an occasional
feature in a patient struck by lightning. Hemorrhage behind
the intact drum is probably more common.
Include an otoscopic examination when examining a patient
struck by lightning.

Causes: Electrical injuries are caused when a person becomes part of an electrical circuit
or is affected by the thermal effects of a nearby electrical arc. The most common
classifications of these injuries are lightning, high-voltage and low-voltage AC, and DC.

Lightning
o
o

High-voltage alternating current

o
o

Lightning injuries occur when the patient is part of or near the

lightning bolt.
Generally, the patient was the tallest object around or near a tall
object, such as a tree. While a thunderstorm is always in the
vicinity, the overhead sky can be clear.

High-voltage injuries most commonly occur when a conductive

object touches an overhead high-voltage power line.
In the United States, most electric power is distributed and
transmitted by bare aluminum or copper conductors, which are
insulated by air. If the multiple feet of air are breached by a
conductor (eg, aluminum pole, antennae, sailboat mast, crane) and
a person is on the ground at the time the conductor becomes
energized, that person is injured.
Rarely, patients get into electrical switching equipment and directly
touch energized components.

Low-voltage alternating current

Generally, 2 types of low-voltage AC injuries are possible: the child

who bites into the cord producing severe lip, face, and tongue
injuries and the child or adult who becomes grounded while
touching an appliance or other object that is energized.
The latter type is declining in frequency in North America because
of the use of ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) in circuits that
supply kitchens, bathrooms, or the outside, since these are places
where persons easily may become grounded. GFCIs stop current
flow in the event of a leakage current (ground fault) or in the
presence of greater than 0.005 amps (0.6 W at 120 V).

Direct current
o

DC injuries generally are encountered when young males

inadvertently contact the energized rail of an electrical train system
while grounded.

This sets up a circuit, which produces myonecrosis and electrical

burns.

DIFFERENTIALS

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Author Information Introduction Clinical Differentials Workup Treatment Medication Follow-up Miscellaneous Pictures
Bibliography

Burns, Chemical
Burns, Ocular
Burns, Thermal
Status Epilepticus

WORKUP

Section 5 of 11

Author Information Introduction Clinical Differentials Workup Treatment Medication Follow-up Miscellaneous Pictures
Bibliography

Lab Studies:

In all patients in whom history or physical examination indicates more than

a trivial electrical injury and/or exposure, obtain the following tests, which
provide important baseline values for future treatment:
o

CBC (hemoglobin level, hematocrit level, white blood cell count, red
blood cell count indices)

Electrolytes levels (sodium, potassium, chloride, carbon dioxide,

urea, glucose)

Creatinine level

Urinalysis (specific gravity, pH level, color, tests for glucose and

hemoglobin levels)

In addition to the more common tests, an assessment of muscle damage

should be performed by obtaining the following:
o

Creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level, total and fractionated, if

elevated

Urine myoglobin level, if urine is positive for hemoglobin

Serum myoglobin level if the urine is positive for myoglobin

The above tests effectively measure the extent of muscle damage. High
levels of CPK, identified as muscle with often some elevation in the
myocardial component, are observed in significant exposures to lowvoltage and high-voltage circuits. Lightning rarely causes an elevation.
Extensive muscle damage leads to myoglobinemia and myoglobinuria.

In patients with arrest or loss of consciousness, strongly consider arterial

blood gas analysis and a complete drug screen test.

Imaging Studies:

If clinically indicated because of chest trauma, shortness of breath, or

history of CPR at the scene, obtain a chest radiograph.
o

Blunt trauma directly from involuntary contraction of muscles or

indirectly from falling secondary to involuntary contraction of
muscles requires imaging studies directed toward discovering
possible fractures or even internal injuries.

Approach these in the same fashion as blunt trauma by other

causes, and obtain appropriate testing as indicated.

Other Tests:

Electrocardiogram

An ECG is indicated in any person in whom electrical injury is

suspected. If arrhythmias are encountered or if the patient
experienced a high-voltage injury, monitoring is indicated.

If no arrhythmias are encountered, further ECG studies are not

necessary.

Electroencephalogram
o

An EEG may be indicated in a person who is unconscious or in

arrest.

The necessity of performing an EEG in the ED depends on a

number of institutional factors. It is not critical to early-care decision
making.

Procedures:

Obtain intravenous access in all persons who have an electrical injury.

Consider a central line to monitor fluid status in those with more than trivial
burns and in those who were unconscious or arrested.

Fasciotomies of burned extremities may be required in high-voltage

injuries. Obtain consultation with surgeons with experience in electrical
burn injury early in the treatment of a patient with a high-voltage burn,
since appropriate early fasciotomy may save a limb.

TREATMENT

Section 6 of 11

Author Information Introduction Clinical Differentials Workup Treatment Medication Follow-up Miscellaneous Pictures
Bibliography

Prehospital Care:

First, remove the patient from the circuit.

Patients who are in arrest then require basic and advanced cardiac lifesupport regimens. In electrically induced arrest, no underlying disease
caused the arrest. Therefore, protracted efforts of resuscitation are met
with success more often than with disease-caused arrest.

Patients who are unconscious but not in arrest require careful ventilatory
observation and assistance, if indicated.

Patients with burns above the neck require supplemental oxygen and
intubation because of the high probability of airway and lung damage.

Secondary blunt trauma often is encountered owing to falls caused by

involuntary muscular contraction. It is dealt with identically to any other
blunt trauma.

Emergency Department Care:

Stabilize patients with electrical burns and consider immediate transfer to

the nearest burn center. If such facilities are not available, physicians with
experience in burns, preferably in electrical burns, should assume care of
the patient.

Hydrate all patients with burns and no apparent CNS abnormality. Using
the ordinary rule of thumb for treating the typical burn patient may result in
significant dehydration. In patients without CNS abnormalities,
administration of physiologic fluids such as Ringer lactate at a rate of 10
mL/kg/h is reasonable during the initial resuscitation.

In patients with CNS abnormality, temper hydration with the possibility of

worsening cerebral edema. No easy way of titrating this clinically difficult
area is available.

Add mannitol or furosemide to the regimen of patients with elevated CPK

levels and/or myoglobinemia. These drugs provide diuresis for the toxic
myoglobin, which can help to prevent acute tubular necrosis and renal
failure secondary to myoglobinuria.

Treat a patient who has been struck by lighting based on CNS symptoms.
If consciousness is present on admission or returns in the ED, inpatient
therapy may not be required. If CNS abnormalities persist, hospitalization
is indicated.

The successfully resuscitated patient exposed to low voltage without

significant burns also may be treated primarily on the basis of CNS
symptoms and CPK level results. If consciousness returns, the CPK level
is no more than 2 times normal with negative hemoglobin in the urine, and
the pulse is regular, hospitalization may be brief.

Irregularities of pulse, ECG changes, myoglobinuria, or CNS abnormalities

require hospitalization.

Consultations: Patients with electrical burns require treatment by burn specialists.

Prompt transfer to the care of such an individual is indicated. In high-voltage electrical
burns, early fasciotomy may be indicated to improve circulation. Thus, seek guidance as
rapidly as possible concerning when to initiate this procedure in the ED. Consultations
include the following:

Trauma and/or critical care

General surgery

Plastic and/or burn surgery

MEDICATION

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Bibliography

Hydration is the key to reducing the morbidity of electrical injury. If muscle damage is
significant, the use of an osmotic diuretic also is indicated.

Drug Category: Fluids -- Loss of intravascular volume through the damaged

epithelium and loss into extravascular spaces require fluid resuscitation. This is best
achieved with lactated Ringer.
Drug Name

Lactated Ringer -- Essentially isotonic and has volume

restorative properties.

Adult Dose

10 mL/kg/h during initial resuscitation

Pediatric Dose

Contraindications

Interactions
Pregnancy

Precautions

Administer as in adults
Major complication of isotonic fluid resuscitation is
interstitial edema; edema of extremities is unsightly
but not a significant complication; edema in brain or
lungs is potentially fatal; major contraindication to
isotonic fluid resuscitation is pulmonary edema; added
fluid promotes more edema and may lead to
development of ARDS
None reported
C - Safety for use during pregnancy has not been
established.
Isotonic fluids administered during resuscitation of
septic shock require close monitoring of
cardiovascular and pulmonary function; stop fluids
when desired hemodynamic response is observed or
pulmonary edema develops

Drug Category: Osmotic diuretics -- If myoglobinemia and myoglobinuria are

present, acute renal failure can be minimized by the addition of mannitol to the regimen
of fluid resuscitation.
Drug Name

Mannitol (Osmitrol) -- Osmotic diuretic that is not

metabolized significantly and that passes through

glomerulus without being reabsorbed by the kidney.

Adult Dose

50-200 g/24 h IV; adjust dose to maintain a urinary

output of 30-50 mL/h

Pediatric Dose

<12 years: Not established

Trial doses of 0.2g/kg IV followed by careful
monitoring of urinary output may be prudent; again
with the goal of producing diuresis in the child with
myoglobinuria

Contraindications

Documented hypersensitivity; anuria; severe

pulmonary congestion; progressive renal damage;
severe dehydration; active intracranial bleeding;
progressive heart failure

Interactions

None reported

Pregnancy

C - Safety for use during pregnancy has not been

established.

Precautions

Carefully evaluate cardiovascular status before rapid

administration of mannitol since a sudden increase in
extracellular fluid may lead to fulminating CHF; avoid
pseudoagglutination; when blood administered
simultaneously, add at least 20 mEq of sodium
chloride to each liter of mannitol solution; do not
administer electrolyte-free mannitol solutions with
blood

Drug Category: Loop diuretics -- Decrease plasma volume and edema by causing
diuresis. The reduction in plasma volume and stroke volume associated with diuresis
decreases cardiac output and, consequently, blood pressure.

Drug Name

Furosemide (Lasix) -- Proposed mechanisms for

furosemide in lowering intracranial pressure include
(1) lowering cerebral sodium uptake, (2) affecting
water transport into astroglial cells by inhibiting cellular
membrane cation-chloride pump, and (3) decreasing
CSF production by inhibiting carbonic anhydrase.
Dose must be individualized to patient.

Adult Dose

Initial dosage: 20-40 mg IV slowly

Adjust dosage to maintain urinary output at 30-50
mL/h

Pediatric Dose
Contraindications
Interactions

Not established
Documented hypersensitivity; hepatic coma; anuria;
state of severe electrolyte depletion
Metformin decreases furosemide concentrations;

furosemide interferes with hypoglycemic effects of

antidiabetic agents and antagonizes muscle-relaxing
effect of tubocurarine; auditory toxicity appears to be
increased with coadministration of aminoglycosides
and furosemide; hearing loss of varying degrees may
occur; anticoagulant activity of warfarin may be
enhanced when taken concurrently with this
medication; increased plasma lithium levels and
toxicity are possible when taken concurrently with this
medication
Pregnancy

Precautions

C - Safety for use during pregnancy has not been

established.
Perform frequent serum electrolyte, carbon dioxide,
glucose, creatinine, uric acid, calcium, and BUN
determinations during first few months of therapy and
periodically thereafter

FOLLOW-UP

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Author Information Introduction Clinical Differentials Workup Treatment Medication Follow-up Miscellaneous Pictures
Bibliography

Further Inpatient Care:

Inpatient care is required for patients with burns and for those with CNS
abnormalities. Burns require patient-specific treatment provided by
persons with experience and training.

Further Outpatient Care:

Refer patients who have been struck by lightning and released from the
ED with good CNS function but with otoscopic abnormalities to a
practitioner experienced in treating ear disease and injury.

Refer all patients who have been struck by lightning to an ophthalmologist

for evaluation of possible cataract formation, which is reported to occur
after lightning strikes.

Patients without CNS abnormalities, massively elevated CPK levels, or

with electrical burns require no further follow-up care. Complete and full
recovery is expected.

Transfer:

Transfer all patients with history of exposure to high voltage for inpatient
treatment, preferably by a burn center, on this criterion alone. In addition,

mouth burns in a low-voltage situation should receive specialized

treatment generally available only in burn centers.

Transfer the patient to an inpatient treatment area if full return of CNS

function has not occurred, if greater than 3-fold elevation in CPK level is
present, in the presence of myoglobinemia and/or myoglobinuria, or if the
patient has a persistent arrhythmia.

Deterrence/Prevention:

High voltage: Prevention of high-voltage electrical injuries requires

ongoing public education, directed particularly to individuals in
construction trades, using cranes and lifts, or exposed to the extreme
danger of overhead power lines. Educating adolescent boys regarding the
serious nature of electrical distribution equipment is particularly important.

Lightning: When thunderstorms are in the area, never be the tallest object.
Avoid golf courses and open fields. Do not stand beside trees. Seek
shelter in buildings or cars. If caught outdoors, lie on the ground.

Low voltage: Until they are repaired, never use appliances that produce a
shock. Encourage the use of GFCIs on all outlets where a person may be
grounded, but always in bathrooms, kitchens, and outside. If using
equipment with no built-in GFCI, use a GFCI extension cord.

Complications:

Lightning
o

If consciousness is regained before arriving or while inside the ED,

a full recovery is expected.

Prolonged unconsciousness leads to a graver prognosis. Full

recovery is not expected if unconsciousness persists for 24 hours.

Low voltage
o

If no significant burns are present and if consciousness returns

before arriving to or in the ED, full recovery is usual. Rarely,
persistent arrhythmias have been recorded.

Persistence of unconsciousness leads to a graver prognosis. Full

recovery is not expected if unconsciousness persists for 24 hours.

Low-voltage mouth burns: With proper treatment, the disfigurement of lowvoltage mouth injuries can be minimized. Scarring always will be present
but is not extremely disfiguring.

High voltage
o

Survival with massive burns is now the exception rather than the
rule. The incidence of extremity loss has been reduced with
improved treatment but has not been eliminated.

Severe disfigurement is typical, even when extremities are

preserved, because of the massive irreparable destruction of nerve
and muscle.

Prognosis:

For those without burns, prognosis is based on CNS function. If it promptly

returns, prognosis is excellent, even in patients who arrest.

For those with burns, survival continues to improve with the improvement
of burn care. Disfigurement continues to be a major problem.

Patient Education:

If the cause of the injury is established, counseling concerning avoiding

such hazards is important. Generally, the injury is most influential in
educating the patient.

For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Burns Center.

Also, see eMedicine's patient education article Thermal (Heat or Fire)
Burns.

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 9 of 11

Author Information Introduction Clinical Differentials Workup Treatment Medication Follow-up Miscellaneous Pictures
Bibliography

Medical/Legal Pitfalls:

Litigation concerning the injury is to be expected. Documenting the

presence and absence of electrical burns is extremely helpful.
Diagramming these injuries always is indicated. Photographing the injured
and uninjured areas of the body also is extremely helpful. Procuring
written consent for photographs is always proper.

Generally, litigation in electrical injuries involves a solvent defendant other

than the medical practitioner. Thus, suits against practitioners in such

cases are rare. However, documenting the extent of the injuries is

extremely helpful should the practitioner become the only defendant. In
addition, proper photographic documentation of injuries may well solve
problems of etiology if injuries arise during subsequent litigation.
PICTURES

Section 10 of 11

Author Information Introduction Clinical Differentials Workup Treatment Medication Follow-up Miscellaneous Pictures
Bibliography

Caption: Picture 1. Arcing electrical burns through the shoe around the rubber sole.
High-voltage (7600 V) alternating current nominal. Note cratering.
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Picture Type: Photo
Caption: Picture 2. Contact electrical burn. This was the ground of a 120-V
alternating current nominal circuit. Note vesicle with surrounding erythema. Note
thermal and contact electrical burns cannot be distinguished easily.
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Picture Type:
Caption: Picture 3. Contact electrical burns, 120-V alternating current nominal. The
right knee was the energized side, and the left was ground. These are contact burns
and are difficult to distinguish from thermal burns. Note entrance and exit are not
viable concepts in alternating current.
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Electrical Injuries
Last Updated: July 11, 2006

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Synonyms and related keywords: electric shock, electrocution, electrical shock, electrical burn,
electrocution burn, electrical trauma, shock, hit by lightning, lightning trauma, lightning strike,
alternating current, AC, direct current, DC, wattage, voltage, Ohm law, Ohm's law, high-voltage
injury, high-voltage trauma, burn injury, burn

AUTHOR INFORMATION

Section 1 of 9

Author Information Introduction Indications Relevant Anatomy And Contraindications Workup Treatment Complications
Outcome And Prognosis Bibliography

Author: Brian James Daley, MD, MBA, FACS, Associate Professor, Associate
Program Director, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Critical Care,

University of Tennessee School of Medicine

Coauthor(s): Ali Farouk Mallat, MD, Staff Physician, Department of General Surgery,
University of Tennessee Medical Center; Joseph McCadams, MD, Consulting Staff,
Department of Surgery, Cape Girardeau Surgical Clinic
Brian James Daley, MD, MBA, FACS, is a member of the following medical
societies: American Association for the Surgery of Trauma, American College of
Chest Physicians, American College of Physician Executives, American College
of Surgeons, American Medical Association, American Society of Parenteral and
Enteral Nutrition, Association for Academic Surgery, Association for Surgical
Education, Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma, Shock Society, Society
of Critical Care Medicine, Southeastern Surgical Congress, and Tennessee
Medical Association
Editor(s): Alex Jacocks, MD, Program Director, Professor, Department of
Surgery, University of Oklahoma School of Medicine; Francisco Talavera,
PharmD, PhD, Senior Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine; Robert L Sheridan, MD,
Assistant Chief of Staff, Chief of Burn Surgery, Shriners Burns Hospital; Associate
Professor of Surgery, Department of Surgery, Division of Trauma and Burns,
Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School; Timothy D Rice,
MD, Associate Professor, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and
Adolescent Medicine, Saint Louis University School of Medicine; and John
Geibel, MD, DSc, MA, Professor, Department of Surgery, Section of
Gastrointestinal Medicine, and Department of Cellular and Molecular Physiology,
Yale University School of Medicine; Director of Surgical Research, Department of
Surgery, Yale-New Haven Hospital
Disclosure

INTRODUCTION

Section 2 of 9

Author Information Introduction Indications Relevant Anatomy And Contraindications Workup Treatment Complications
Outcome And Prognosis Bibliography

Electrical injuries have become a more common form of trauma with a unique
pathophysiology. They encompass several types, as follows: lightning injury, highvoltage injury, and low-voltage injury. Clinical manifestations range from transient
unpleasant sensations without apparent injury to massive tissue damage. Some
electrocutions are instantly fatal. Familiarity with the mechanisms of injury and the
principles of therapy improves patient care.

History of the Procedure: Ever since Franklin's experiments with lightning, people have
been fascinated with electricity; however, the widespread use of electricity and the
application of electrically powered machinery have caused an increase in the number of
electrical injuries. Samuel W. Smith was the first person in the United States to die after
electrocution by a generator in Buffalo, New York, in 1881.
Problem: To fully understand such injuries, understanding certain basic electrical
principles is necessary.
Direct current (DC) flows in a constant direction. Batteries, for example, deliver direct
current. High-voltage direct current is used as a means for the bulk transmission of
electrical power.
Alternating current (AC) is an electric flow that regularly reverses its direction. Each
forward-backward motion interval is called a cycle. Electric current in the United States
alternates with a frequency of 60 hertz (Hz). The usual waveform of an AC power circuit
is a sine wave, because this results in the most efficient transmission of energy. AC is
standard in US electrical outlets.
A volt is a unit of electromotive force or pressure that causes current to flow. In US
household wiring, 120 volts are present between the hot wire and the ground wire. Most
electrical shocks come from constant voltage sources; that is, the actual number of volts
present does not change appreciably over time, despite variable current drainage from the
source. Nonconstant voltage sources, such as cardiac defibrillators and capacitors, deliver
varying voltages.
The use of a higher voltage leads to more efficient transmission of power; therefore, it is
advantageous when transmitting large amounts of power to distribute the power with
extremely high voltages (sometimes as high as hundreds of kilovolts). However, high
voltages also have disadvantages, the main ones being the increased danger to anyone
who comes into contact with them, the extra insulation required, and the increased
difficulty in their safe handling.
An ampere is a unit of electrical current. More precisely, it is the flow of a certain number
of electrons per second.
An ohm is a unit of electrical resistance. Conductance is defined as 1/resistance (ie, the
inverse of resistance). The resistance of a material to current flow depends on the
physical and chemical properties of the material. The amount of current flow often
determines the magnitude of injury. Ohm law states that current is directly proportional to
the voltage and inversely proportional to resistance (I=V/R) and can be useful for
calculating the current flow during electric shock.
Heat generated in a material due to current flow is an indication of power. A watt is the
unit of electrical power that is delivered when 1 ampere flows through 1 ohm for 1
second. Power is equal to voltage multiplied by current (P=VxI). Energy is defined in

terms of a watt-second. One watt-second is equal to 1 joule. One watt of power delivered
for 1 second produces 0.24 calories of heat.
Frequency: Electrical injuries results in an estimated 1000 deaths per year and about
3000 admissions to specialized burn centers per year. Lightning injury causes 50-300
deaths per year in the United States, with the chances of being struck increased by
wearing or carrying a metal object or simply being wet. Up to 40% of serious electrical
injuries are fatal.
Etiology: Approximately 20% of all electrical injuries occur in children, with a bimodal
peak incidence highest in toddlers and adolescents. One third of all electrical traumas and
most high-voltage injuries are job related. More than 50% of these occupational
electrocutions result from power line contact, and 25% result from using electrical tools
or machines. The annual occupational death rate from electricity is 1 death per 100,000
workers, with a male-to-female ratio of 9:1.
Pathophysiology: The 3 major mechanisms of electricity-induced injury are as follows:
1. Electrical energy causing direct tissue damage, altering cell membrane
resting potential, and eliciting muscle tetany.
2. Conversion of electrical energy into thermal energy, causing massive
tissue destruction and coagulative necrosis.
3. Mechanical injury with direct trauma resulting from falls or violent muscle
contraction.
Factors that determine the degree of injury include the magnitude of energy delivered,
resistance encountered, type of current, current pathway, and duration of contact.
Systemic effects and tissue damage are directly proportional to the magnitude of current
delivered to the victim. Current flow (amperage) is directly related to voltage and
inversely related to resistance, as dictated by Ohm law (I=V/R; where I=current,
V=voltage, R=resistance). Of the parameters described by Ohm law, voltage usually can
be determined and is used to gauge the potential magnitude of current exposure and,
therefore, the magnitude of injury.
Electrical shock is classified as high voltage (>1000 volts) or low voltage (<1000 volts).
As a general rule, high voltage is associated with greater morbidity and mortality,
although fatal injury can occur at household current (110 volts).
AC is substantially more dangerous than DC. Contact with AC may cause tetanic muscle
contraction, preventing the victim from releasing the electrical source and, thereby,
increasing the duration of contact and current delivery. Thoracic muscle tetany involving
the diaphragm and intercostal muscles can result in respiratory arrest. The repetitive
nature of AC increases the likelihood of current delivery to the myocardium during the
vulnerable recovery period of the cardiac cycle, which can precipitate ventricular
fibrillation. In contrast, DC usually causes a single violent muscle contraction, often
thrusting the victim away from the source. Lightning is a unidirectional massive current

that lasts from 1/10 to 1/1000 of a second, but often has voltages that exceed 10 million
volts.
The most important difference between lightning and high-voltage electrical injuries is
the duration of exposure to the current. Body tissues differ in their resistance. In general,
tissues with high fluid and electrolyte content conduct electricity better. Bone is the tissue
most resistant to the flow of electricity. Nerve tissue is the least resistant. Skin resistance
is the most important factor impeding current flow. The resistance of skin depends on its
thickness. It varies from 1000 ohms for humid thin skin to several thousand ohms for dry
calloused skin.
The current pathway determines which tissues are at risk and what type of injury is
observed. Electrical current that passes through the head or thorax is more likely to
produce fatal injury. Transthoracic currents can cause fatal arrhythmia, direct cardiac
damage, or respiratory arrest. Transcranial currents can cause direct brain injury, seizure,
respiratory arrest, and paralysis.
Electrothermal tissue injury results in tissue edema; therefore, the development of a
compartment syndrome can occur in any body compartment. The leg is the site most
commonly involved for the development of compartment syndrome.
Clinical: Clinical presentations range from a tingling sensation to a widespread tissue
damage and even to instantaneous death.
Often, the main symptom of an electrical injury is a skin burn. A specific type of burn,
called the kissing burn, occurs at the flexor creases and is related to the current flowing
through the opposing skin at the joint when the flexor muscles contract due to tetany. Not
all electrical injuries cause external damage; high-voltage injuries may cause massive
internal burns and coagulation necrosis along with edema and compartment syndrome.
Lightning injury usually causes superficial surface burns.
Cardiac arrhythmia can occur and range from benign to fatal. High voltage or DC current
usually causes asystole, and AC current usually causes ventricular fibrillation. Ventricular
fibrillation is the most common fatal arrhythmia, occurring in up to 60% of patients in
whom the current pathway goes from one hand to the other hand.
The most common electrical injury seen in children younger than 4 years is the mouth
burn. These burns may cause facial deformities and growth problems of the teeth, jaw,
and face. If a current travels close to the eyes, it may lead to cataracts. Cataracts can
develop within days of the injury or years later.
Acute renal failure can complicate the hospital course due to acute tubular necrosis
secondary hypovolemia from third spacing and huge volume shift. Rhabdomyolysis that
results from massive tissue necrosis can also cause pigment-induced renal failure.

About two thirds of patients struck by lightning have ruptured eardrums. Autonomic
dysfunction can cause pupils that are fixed and dilated or asymmetric, and this finding
should not be used as a reason to stop resuscitation.
INDICATIONS

Section 3 of 9

Author Information Introduction Indications Relevant Anatomy And Contraindications Workup Treatment Complications
Outcome And Prognosis Bibliography

Indications to pursue an evaluation depend on the history. A thorough documentation is

essential in the physical examination. As noted above, the type of injury depends on the
voltage and the type of current. A low threshold for fasciotomy is indicated because an
early fasciotomy may prevent limb ischemia and also may prevent or limit the extent of
amputation. Importantly, remember that the superficial appearance of an electrical burn
may underestimate the degree of underlying tissue destruction.
RELEVANT ANATOMY AND
CONTRAINDICATIONS

Section 4 of 9

Author Information Introduction Indications Relevant Anatomy And Contraindications Workup Treatment Complications
Outcome And Prognosis Bibliography

Relevant Anatomy: Current travels down the path of least resistance. Nerve and muscle
tissues have lower resistance than skin tissue. Understanding that an injured extremity
may not show external signs of injury is important. Moreover, injury to deeper tissues
may lead to edema and increased intracompartmental pressure.
Contraindications: The liberal indications for fasciotomy cannot be overemphasized
because the morbidity associated with a failure to perform a needed fasciotomy far
outweighs that caused by the procedure itself. The most important contraindication would
be the failure to treat more severely life-threatening injuries or complications of electrical
shock or a failure to adequately resuscitate the patient prior to surgical intervention.
WORKUP

Section 5 of 9

Author Information Introduction Indications Relevant Anatomy And Contraindications Workup Treatment Complications
Outcome And Prognosis Bibliography

Lab Studies:

Indicated lab studies include complete blood cell count, serum electrolyte
levels, liver function tests, BUN, creatinine levels, and urinalysis with urine
for myoglobin. Determination of creatine kinase (CK) is important to
develop an appropriate management plan.

More severely injured patients who require surgery may need blood typing
or cross matching, prothrombin time, and activated partial thromboplastin
time studies.

Imaging Studies:

The need for imaging studies is dictated by other elements of the history
or by patient complaints. Violent tetanic contractions may lead to focal
bone fractures; the latter can also result from falls, especially in the
context of lightning injury or high-voltage DC current.

Perform cervical spine, chest, and pelvis radiographs on any victim who
was previously unconscious. Also, obtain appropriate extremity films in
victims with obvious extremity injuries.

Other Tests:

Record electrocardiogram readings in all patients. If smoke inhalation is

suspected by history, then ABGs and pulse oximetry may be indicated.

Diagnostic Procedures:

The development of increased myofascial compartment pressures is of

great concern. If this is suspected, each compartment must be measured.
If signs and symptoms of compartment syndrome exist, decompression is
necessary. The hallmark of compartment syndrome is pain with passive
motion in the compartment containing the muscle groups responsible for
that motion. Characteristically, the pain is unrelenting and may appear out
of proportion to the visible injury. Patients may experience paresthesia,
hypoesthesia, or decreased motor function. Remember that loss of pulses
is a late sign of compartment syndrome.

TREATMENT

Section 6 of 9

Author Information Introduction Indications Relevant Anatomy And Contraindications Workup Treatment Complications
Outcome And Prognosis Bibliography

Medical therapy: Patients with electrical injury should be initially evaluated as a trauma
patient. Airway, breathing, circulation, and inline immobilization of the spine should be
performed as a part of primary survey. Intravenous access, cardiac monitoring, and
measurement of oxygen saturation should be started during the primary survey. Fluid
replacement is the most important aspect of the initial resuscitation. As with conventional
thermal injury, electrical injuries cause massive fluid shifts with extensive tissue damage
and acidosis; therefore, monitoring a patient's hemodynamics is important. A Foley
catheter is helpful in monitoring urine output and, therefore, tissue perfusion.

Initial fluid resuscitation should aim for urine output of greater than 0.5
cc/kg/h if no signs of myoglobinuria are present and preferably greater
than 1 cc/kg/h if myoglobinuria is present. Since lightning burns are
usually superficial, using a standard formula, such as the Parkland
formula, may be helpful.

The extent or volume of tissue damage involved with an electrical injury is

difficult to assess. The unpredictable nature of electrical injuries makes
estimating fluid deficits much more difficult. Many authors increase fluid
replacement after an electrical injury.
Based on the Parkland formula, increase fluid replacement by 2-3 times,
depending on the total surface area potentially involved. For example,
increase it by 3 if the surface area is 20% and increase it by 2 (or less)
according to an increased percentage of burned skin. These formulas
estimate necessary initial resuscitation volume over the first 24 hours
(started at the time of the burn).
Use an isotonic balanced saline solution (eg, Ringer's lactate solution) for
fluid resuscitation. Closely follow urinary output as an indicator of
hemodynamic status and kidney function. Make constant adjustments
based on hourly urine output. Decrease or increase fluid rates to maintain
urine output of 0.5-1 cc/kg/h.
Installing an indwelling urinary catheter is mandatory. Hematuria or dark
urine prompts the need for more aggressive therapy to prevent myoglobininduced tubular necrosis. This is treated with fluids (initiating diuresis) and
bicarbonate.
Administer bicarbonate at 1-2 mEq/kg. With very extensive injuries, expect
acidosis and myoglobinuria, and initiate bicarbonate with the initial fluid
bolus.
Administer mannitol at 1 gram per kilogram body weight to promote an
osmotic diuresis. The target urine output is up to 2-3 mL/kg/h, with a urine
pH greater than 6.5. Bicarbonate treats the underlying acidosis and
alkalinizes the urine, making myoglobin more soluble.
Additional diuretics may be administered. Acetazolamide is the recognized
drug of choice because it also alkalinizes the urine. However, exercise this
diuresis with extreme caution to avoid hyperosmotic hypoalbuminemia.

Surgical therapy:

Fasciotomy serves a dual role as both a therapeutic tool and a diagnostic

tool in the treatment of electrical injuries. The fact that a burn with a
relatively small surface area may hide massive tissue destruction beneath
cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, aggressively evaluate any swelling
or signs of impaired circulation.
Impaired circulation to extremities after thermal skin injury may be the
result of constrictive eschar, which usually is circumferential and of full
thickness. Impaired circulation also may be the result of compartment
syndrome, which is caused by edematous muscles.
Volume is limited as a result of the naturally needed fascial compartments.
When edema occurs in the same volume compartment, pressures within
that compartment rise. Sufficient pressure to occlude venous obstruction
easily leads to muscle ischemia, increased edema, and further
myonecrosis.

Compartment pressures need not exceed arterial pressures to cause

necrosis. Any questionable extremity must be examined in the operating
room by removing solid eschar initially, followed by fasciotomy as
indicated. A low threshold for fasciotomy is indicated because an early
fasciotomy may prevent ischemia and prevent (or at least limit)
amputation.
Fasciotomy also serves a diagnostic role. It can be very important in
helping determine the extent of muscular necrosis. Frankly debride the
necrotic tissue to explore the affected limbs. Repeat assessment, either
during the operation or at dressing changes, can help prevent secondary
infection. Assess muscle viability with serial technetium scans. If, at
second look, additional necrotic tissue is present, further debride the
affected extremity. In severe cases, early amputation remains the only
safe choice.

Preoperative details: Bring patients to the operating room after aggressive resuscitation
has reversed shock, assured oxygen delivery, restored circulating volume, and
reestablished end-organ perfusion. The patient may need tetanus prophylaxis. Bedside
fasciotomy can be performed if the patient is too unstable to go to the operating room.
Intraoperative details: Follow the principles of good surgical technique. Perform
fasciotomies following prescribed techniques, and ensure that any at-risk compartment is
released. Make every effort to protect marginal tissue.
Postoperative details: Continue aggressive postoperative assessment for myoglobinuria.
Local wound care is the surgeon's choice; the authors prefer wet-to-dry gauze dressings
changed at twice-daily whirlpool sessions. Consider delayed closure of the fasciotomy
site or secondary coverage when appropriate.
Follow-up care: Discharge patients with open wounds if adequate wound-care
arrangements are available. Follow-up care depends on the nature and extent of the
injury. Secondary coverage may be needed, and consulting a plastic or reconstructive
surgeon may be helpful.
For excellent patient education resources, visit eMedicine's Environmental Exposures and
Injuries Center and Burns Center. Also, see eMedicine's patient education articles
Lightning Strike and Electric Shock.
COMPLICATIONS

Section 7 of 9

Author Information Introduction Indications Relevant Anatomy And Contraindications Workup Treatment Complications
Outcome And Prognosis Bibliography

Hopefully, compartment syndrome can be avoided. Other complications include local

infection (as with any burn injury), neurologic injury from the initial insult, and complex
regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Other associated injuries carry their own list of
complications.

Treat wound infections in the standard manner. Early physical and occupational therapy
can reduce limb dysfunction (eg, CRPS).
OUTCOME AND PROGNOSIS

Section 8 of 9

Author Information Introduction Indications Relevant Anatomy And Contraindications Workup Treatment Complications
Outcome And Prognosis Bibliography

The location and extent of injury, the development of complications, and the functional
result determine outcome and prognosis.

Emergency Care of the Burn Patient

Treatment of the Burn Victim
Now it is time to start treating the burn wound. This part of the information is left towards the middle for
a good reason. You don't want to start treating the burn wound until you have:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Stopped the burning process

Assessed Airway, Breathing and Circulation
Evaluated the extent and depth of the burn
Assessed the criteria for referral to a burn center
Have observed for and treated associated injuries.

Fluid replacement is the prime object of initial burn treatment. When someone gets burned, to
put it very simply, their capillaries begin to leak. Instead of sticking together, keeping blood inside of the
vessel, the endothelial cells separate and become very porous. Huge amounts of fluid pour out into the
tissue. In small burns this fluid accumulates only in the burned areas but in very large burns fluid can
accumulate everywhere in the body. These patients can develop a significant amount of edema at the
expense of your vascular volume. The blood volume goes down as you become more edematous, or
rather, they develop hypovolemic shock.

Who gets resuscitated? Any burn greater than 10%, but this is dependent on the age and
health of the patient. For instance if you are treating a healthy 20 year old with a 15 % burn, they can
probably resuscitate themselves with oral fluids but nonetheless, they should be observed to make
sure they take in enough fluids, is not vomiting and that they produce a satisfactory amount of urine.
Anyone with an inhalation injury, associated trauma or electrical injury gets fluid resuscitation. When in
doubt, over treat. Make sure they get through the first 24 hours.

There are many formulas for fluid resuscitation. These are not aimed at treating burn shock
because burn shock will reverse itself. The goal in resuscitation is to maintain the volume of the patient
during the period of hypovolemia. The formula that we use at the Burn Center is the Parklund Formula.
It is a good formula for two reasons:
1.
2.

It calls for a large amount of fluid

It is easy to remember.

Please remember that the resuscitation time is calculated from the time of the burn injury. If a person
gets burned at 1:00 A.M. and resuscitation is delayed until 8:00 A.M. that person is 7 hours behind.
You will need to increase the rate of the fluid to catch up, in order to get back on schedule.

The criteria to judge whether or not fluid resuscitation is adequate is measured by urine volume.

Why do we use lactated ringers? Because lactated ringers is most like normal extracellular
fluid. If you must give a couple liters of normal saline to a burn patient, you will not harm them but
remember that normal saline contains a large amount of chloride. If you give very much chloride to a
burn patient there is a potential for metabolic acidosis. Fluid which contains dextrose is not used for
two reasons:
1.
2.

Does not contain any electrolytes,

There is potentially a large amount of adrenaline in the bloodstream which makes these
patients glucose intolerant. Their blood glucose levels will increase which will cause their urine
output to increase, therefore they will not be getting resuscitated appropriately.

Perfusing the kidneys is one of the goals of therapy. If the kidneys are perfused adequately, the
patient will make enough urine. If the patient does not make enough urine they are not getting enough
fluid. Even if you are following the Parklund Formula guidelines correctly, some people require more
fluid. Turn the rate of the IV fluid up, DO NOT GIVE DIURETICS!

Patients with electrical injuries or very deep tissue damage may have myoglobin in their urine,
therefore they will require double the urine output to flush the kidneys of the large myoglobin cells. The
amount of fluid resuscitation required is difficult to assess because you can't go by the size of the burn.
If the urine is very dark, such as in the picture, increase the rate of the intravenous fluids to maintain a
urine output of 100 cc/hr.

All of these criteria are important, but this doesn't help you very much if you are in the field. If
there is only one criteria which you can assess, it must be urine output.

The complications of edema get worse as resuscitation proceeds. Any major burn of an
extremity of the torso tends to swell very tightly. This is because the skin in third degree burns become
very rigid and hard. Elasticity is drastically compromised. As you pour fluid into these patients during
resuscitation, the extremity or torso will swell and the burns become tighter and tighter. This tightness
can become so great that the circulation may become compromised. This happens over several hours.
The patient may loose peripheral pulses, motor function and nerve function in the extremity. The
extremity can become cyanotic. Instead of surface pain, the patient may start complaining of a deep,
throbbing pain. This can be difficult to evaluate in the field. The best way to evaluate this complication
is by watching extremities closely for tightness, loss of pulses and complaints of numbness and
tingling.

The procedure of choice is an escharotomy. What we have done in this man's arm is to cut
through the burned tissue with a scalpel medially and laterally to ensure restoration of pulses. Notice
how far apart the edges are. We did not remove any tissue. The skin simply spreads apart as a result
of the tension and tightness caused by the swelling. Initially, even a badly burned extremity will feel
soft. The complications of edema occur only after several hours.

The complications of edema may also effect the ability of the chest to expand. Ventilation is
mechanical. The chest needs to be able to expand during breathing. When this occurs an escharotomy
may be performed to the chest in the shape of a square. It is important to connect all sides by incision.

This is a picture of a man with escharotomies to the upper legs and fasciotomies to the lower
legs.
Initially there will be very little bleeding, but after the extremity becomes perfused, the potential for
bleeding becomes great, therefore the wounds must be dressed appropriately with bulky dressings
and pressure wraps.
We are not advocating that this be done in the field. There is the potential for blood loss, severe
hypotension, contamination of the wound and damage to the nerves.

The other complication from edema is swelling of the airway. This young boy got burned while
sniffing gasoline. He has a very deep burn to the face which is difficult to appreciate in this photo. This
picture was taken immediately after admission and shortly after the burn injury.

This is that same boy, just one hour later. The facial swelling that occurs in these injuries is very
profound. That is about as far as the mouth can be opened. His eyes are completely swollen shut. If
you feel his face you would appreciate that all of the skin in the face and neck is swollen very tight. If
this boy had not been intubated prior to swelling, it would have been impossible to intubate him at this
point because the swelling also occurs on the inside. The tongue swells, the pharyngeal tissue swells,
and if you look down his throat with a laryngeal scope you would not be able to see the chords. He
would have died from loss of airway. When in doubt , intubate before transport. If you intubate a patient
who does not need it, the tube can always be pulled, but if you fail to intubate a patient who does need
it, the patient will die.

Review of the Emergency Care

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Stop the burning process

Stabilize ABC's
Observe and treat associate injuries
Begin fluid resuscitation
Referral Criteria
Treatment of Minor Burns

Emergency Care Overview

Burns by Degree
Extent of Injury
Management of the Burn Victim
Treatment of the Burn Victim

*DISCLAIMER This site is designed as an introduction to thermal injury for emergency medical
technicians, medical students and physicians in training. It is not a comprehensive guide to thermal
injury. As such the information may not be sufficient to address specific patient problems and these
should be handled by physicians familiar with the specific clinical details pertinent to the individual
patient. We invite comments from all users of this site.

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