Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 10, 2026
Guidelines for Elective Pediatric Fiberoptic Intubation
Published on: January 18, 2011
Pediatric electrical injuries: a review of 38 consecutive patients
Ahmet Celik1, Orkan Ergün, Geylani Ozok
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Ege University Faculty of Medicine, Izmir, Turkey.
Insights
Electrical burn injuries (EBI) in children are serious, especially high-voltage (HV) injuries in boys, leading to significant morbidity and requiring aggressive care. Prevention of balcony-related EBI is crucial.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric burn care
- Trauma surgery
- Electrical injury mechanisms
Background:
- Electrical burn injuries (EBI) are uncommon but pose significant risks to pediatric patients.
- Understanding the specific causes and outcomes of EBI is vital for effective treatment and prevention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the mechanisms, complications, morbidity, and mortality of electrical injuries in children.
- To identify risk factors and specific injury patterns in pediatric EBI.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of pediatric patients admitted with EBI between 1993 and 2002.
- Analysis of patient demographics, injury characteristics, treatment, and outcomes.
Main Results:
- EBI accounted for 5% of acute burn admissions (38 patients).
- High-voltage (HV) injuries were more common (63%) and associated with major complications, including amputations in 26% of cases.
- Balcony-related injuries and direct contact with electrical sources were noted mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- EBI are a serious concern in children, particularly adolescent boys, with significant short- and long-term morbidity.
- HV injuries necessitate aggressive management, and specific etiologies like balcony injuries require targeted prevention strategies.
Background/Purpose:
The aim of this study was to explore the mechanisms, complications, morbidity, and mortality associated with electrical injuries in children.
Methods:
The charts of pediatric patients who had been admitted to the authors' center with electrical burn injuries (EBI) between January 1993 and October 2002 were reviewed retrospectively.
Results:
Of the 764 acute burn admissions over a 9-year period, 5% (38 patients) had EBI. Mean age was 9.6 +/- 4.4 years (range, 1 to 16 years). Seventy-six percent of the EBI patients were boys (M to F, 29:9), and the extent of the burn wounds ranged from 1% to 50% of total body surface area (TBSA; mean, 18.6% +/- 14.7%). High-voltage (HV) electricity accounted for 63% of the EBI (1 lightning), and 37% were caused by low-voltage (LV) current. In 19 children, serious high-voltage injuries occurred by direct contact with outlet electrical transfer wires with a metal from a balcony or with manual contact while climbing to the pole. A total of 153 surgical procedures were performed on the EBI patients, and 26% of the cases (10 of 38) required amputations. Patients who sustained HV electrical injuries had associated major complications. All of the patients underwent close cardiac monitoring, and none had cardiac complications. The average hospital stay was 23.8 +/- 14.2 (range, 2 to 48) days. One patient died of wound sepsis.
Conclusions:
Although not frequent, EBI remain a serious problem, particularly in adolescent boys, and short- and long-term morbidity are significant. HV injuries occur mainly in the adolescent population and require more aggressive care. Balcony injury is a specific etiology for EBI, and special consideration is required to prevent this type of injury in our country.
