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[Intracranial haemorrhage secondary to a lightning strike: a case report]
E Carrera-Izquierdo1, J C Morán-Sánchez, M Carrera-Izquierdo
1Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Santa Bárbara, Complejo Hospitalario de Soria, SACYL, Soria, Spain. elenacarrera@tiscali.es
Introduction:
The damage caused to the central nervous system by lightning can be immediate or delayed. Cerebrovascular accidents are usually an infrequent complication of lightning strikes.
Case Report:
We report the case of a patient who was hit by lightning and then developed an acute bilateral intraparenchymatous haemorrhage in the basal ganglia and the left internal capsule.
Discussion:
Few cases of intracranial haemorrhages secondary to lightning strikes have been reported. We carry out a review and analysis of the literature currently available on the subject. A number of theories have been put forward that attempt to explain the mechanism behind these haemorrhages in patients who have been hit by lightning. The reason why there is a predilection for the basal ganglia is unknown, although it could be linked to the particular features of the vascularisation of the area.