Survey of electrical burns in Philippine General Hospital

A total of 211 patients were admitted at the UP-PGH Burn Unit in 1995. Sixty-eight (32.2%) patients suffered burn injuries secondary to electrical injury. In the period from July to December 1995, a total of 28 patients were admitted because of burns caused by electricity. Twenty-six (92%) patients sustained injury secondary to high tension (> 1000 V) electrical current and 2 (7.1%) secondary to low tension (< 1000 V) electrical current, specifically 220 V, which were both self-inflicted. Twenty-seven (96%) patients were males. Injury was work-related in 18 patients, nonwork-related in 8, and self-inflicted in 2. Sixteen (57%) patients suffered injuries on a rooftop, 11 (39%) patients on the ground, and 1 (3.5%) patient on top of an electric post. A total of 22 operations were performed on 28 patients, including 7 extremity amputations, which makes an amputation rate of 25%. There were 5 deaths secondary to overwhelming wound sepsis, making an overall mortality rate of 21.7% and an operative mortality rate of 22.7%. The average length of hospital stay was 17.2 days.