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A El Kadi1,2, M Ouzzahra1, A Bentalha1
1Service de Réanimation Polyvalente Pédiatrique, CHU Ibn Sina, Faculté de Médecine et de Pharmacie, Université Mohamed V, Rabat, Maroc.
Insights
High-voltage electrical injuries in children are rare but severe, often resulting from accidents due to recklessness or inadequate safety measures. Prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial for managing complications and improving outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Electrical Injury Pathophysiology
- Trauma Surgery
Context:
- High-voltage electrical burn injuries are uncommon pediatric emergencies with significant morbidity and mortality.
- Accidents stem from recklessness, insufficient knowledge of electrical currents, and unsafe public electrical infrastructure.
- Immediate cardiac and renal complications, plus fall-related trauma, contribute to mortality.
Purpose:
- To highlight the critical nature of high-voltage electrical injuries in children.
- To discuss the contributing factors, complications, and management strategies for pediatric electrocution.
- To present three case studies illustrating diverse severe outcomes.
Summary:
- The abstract details three pediatric cases of high-voltage electrocution, involving severe outcomes like head injury, myocardial damage, and compartment syndrome.
- Management focuses on early resuscitation and surgical intervention for tissue damage to prevent infection and functional sequelae.
- The cases underscore the poor prognosis associated with these injuries and the need for literature review.
Impact:
- Emphasizes the need for enhanced safety measures and public awareness regarding electrical hazards for children.
- Informs pediatric emergency care protocols for high-voltage electrical injuries.
- Highlights the long-term functional sequelae and infection risks requiring vigilant follow-up.
Abstract:
High-voltage electrical burn injuries are rare emergencies in pediatric units and always associated with a poor prognosis. Recklessness, lack of knowledge about electric currents and the lack of safety around public electricity infrastructures are the three main factors contributing to the occurrence of high-voltage electrical accidents in children. Mortality is due to acute cardiac and renal complications, and trauma associated with falls. Secondary evolution is dominated by the risk of infection and the severity of functional sequelae. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment is needed to prevent these complications. Therapeutic management is based on early resuscitation and surgical management of tissue damage. We report three cases of high-voltage electrocution in children, with electro-thermal burns associated with severe head injury in one case, and myocardial damage and a compartment syndrome with severe functional sequelae in the other two. These three case reports are an opportunity to discuss literature data.