Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

The long-term consequences of lightning injuries.

T Muehlberger1, P M Vogt, A M Munster

  • 1Department of Plastic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Hannover, Krankenhaus Oststadt, Podbielskistrasse 380, 30659, Hannover, Germany. muehlbergercy@hotmail.com

Burns : Journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries
|November 24, 2001
PubMed
Summary

Lightning strikes are rare and typically result in favorable outcomes. A 12-year study of 12 patients found no long-term complications or deficits following lightning injuries, suggesting a better prognosis than commonly believed.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

[Defect coverage on the hand : A reconstructive challenge].

Chirurgie (Heidelberg, Germany)·2026
Same author

Suprathel® and water-filtered infrared-A radiation (wIRA) as a new treatment strategy for toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN): A prospective study.

Burns : journal of the International Society for Burn Injuries·2024
Same author

Drug-induced immunosuppression in plastic and reconstructive surgery: A matched pair outcome analysis of 108 patients.

Journal of plastic, reconstructive & aesthetic surgery : JPRAS·2023
Same author

[Registry Research Funding of the German Society of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery (DGPRÄC) and Research Funding Report 2021/2022].

Handchirurgie, Mikrochirurgie, plastische Chirurgie : Organ der Deutschsprachigen Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Handchirurgie : Organ der Deutschsprachigen Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Mikrochirurgie der Peripheren Nerven und Gefasse : Organ der V...·2023
Same author

[Interdisciplinary extremity board in the treatment of complex injuries].

Unfallchirurgie (Heidelberg, Germany)·2023
Same author

Sustained high demand for intensive care unit resources for the treatment of burn patients during the COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Germany: A single-centre cross-sectional study.

JPRAS open·2022

Area of Science:

  • Emergency Medicine
  • Trauma Surgery
  • Clinical Neurology

Background:

  • Lightning strikes, while rare, can cause severe injuries and death.
  • Documented sequelae of lightning injuries are often disparate and infrequently reported.
  • Cardiac arrest is a known immediate cause of death from lightning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze the incidence of acute symptoms and laboratory findings in lightning strike survivors.
  • To evaluate long-term neurological, ocular, oto-vestibular, and psychological deficits in patients after lightning injury.
  • To determine the overall prognosis and long-term outcome of lightning injuries.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 12 patients treated for lightning injuries over 12 years.
  • Assessment of initial symptoms including cardiac, muscular, sensory, audiovisual, and cognitive disturbances.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Long-term follow-up evaluation of 10 patients (average 6.7 years post-injury) for residual deficits.

    • Main Results:

    • Initial assessment revealed various acute symptoms and keraunographic skin markings.
    • No patients experienced long-term deficits or complications related to the lightning injury during follow-up.
    • Average hospital stay was short (1.58 days), indicating rapid recovery for most.

    Conclusions:

    • Lightning injuries appear to have a more favorable outcome than generally perceived.
    • Prompt medical evaluation and management likely contribute to positive patient outcomes.
    • Further research is warranted to fully understand the long-term trajectory of lightning strike survivors.