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Evaluation of children presenting to the emergency room after electrical injury
Insights
Pediatric electrical injuries, often from low-voltage household sources, require prompt evaluation. While most cases are not fatal, high-voltage exposure can elevate specific enzyme levels, highlighting the need for public awareness and preventative measures.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Toxicology
- Public Health
Background:
- Electrical injuries are a significant concern in pediatric emergency departments.
- Understanding the epidemiology and clinical presentation of these injuries is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the characteristics of children with electrical injuries presenting to a pediatric emergency department.
- To discuss follow-up strategies and preventative measures for electrical injuries in children.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective investigation of 36 pediatric patients with electrical injuries from May 2010 to May 2013.
- Data collected included patient demographics, exposure details, injury type, complications, and treatment outcomes.
Main Results:
- Most pediatric electrical injuries involved low-voltage current in a home environment.
- High-voltage exposure was associated with significantly elevated liver enzymes (alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase) and muscle enzymes (creatine kinase, creatine kinase-myocardial isoenzyme).
- No fatalities were recorded, with an average hospital stay of 2.50 days.
Conclusions:
- Electrical injuries in children can range from minor to severe, affecting multiple organ systems.
- Simple preventative measures and increased public awareness are essential to reduce morbidity and mortality.
- Prompt evaluation and appropriate follow-up are critical for managing pediatric electrical injuries.
Background/Aim:
To evaluate children who presented to the Pediatric Emergency Department with electrical injury and to discuss the follow-up of these cases and potential precautions that can be taken.
Materials And Methods:
A total of 36 patients presented to the Pediatric Emergency Department with electrical injury between May 2010 and May 2013, and these cases were investigated retrospectively. The patients' age and sex, location and form of exposure to electric current, seasonal distribution, length of hospital stay, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular system complications, renal damage, and treatments were recorded.
Results:
The majority of the patients were exposed to low-voltage electrical current at home. When the patients were evaluated based on the type of electric current, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, creatine kinase, and creatine kinase-myocardial isoenzyme levels were found to be significantly higher among patients who were exposed to high-voltage electric current. None of the patients died, and the mean length of hospital stay was 2.50 ± 1.06 days.
Conclusion:
Electrical injuries can present with a wide variety of problems, ranging from a simple injury to life-threatening severe multiple organ injury. Even simple precautions can prevent possible morbidity and mortality. We think that the public level of knowledge and awareness should be increased.
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