Effect of lidocaine on reducing injury in a rat electrical burn model

Electrical injuries induce progressive tissue loss. We evaluated the effect of lidocaine on tissue necrosis after electrical burn injuries. Forty-two male Wistar albino rats (250-300 g) were divided into 3 groups [Group A (n=6), control group without an electrical burn injury; and Groups B (n=18) and C (n=18), electrical burn injury groups without and with lidocaine therapy, respectively]. Three separate analyses were performed at different time points on 6 of 18 rats from Groups B and C at each time point. Electrical burns were induced by applying 220 V AC between the left upper and right lower extremities for 10 seconds. Myeloperoxidase and malondialdehyde levels were measured in skin and muscle biopsy specimens after the first hour, fresh and dry weight differences in the amputated extremities were calculated after 24 hours, and live and necrotic tissue areas were measured at 7 days after burn injury. We found that lidocaine reduced edema, the number of neutrophils, and neutrophil damage in tissues. We conclude that lidocaine decreased the amount of necrotic tissue caused by electric injury.