Electrical injuries and outcomes: A retrospective review

Area of Science:

• Trauma Surgery
• Neurology
• Burn Care

Background:

• Electrical injuries (EI) present unique challenges in immediate treatment and long-term consequences compared to other burn types.
• Understanding the varied sequelae of electrical burns is crucial for effective patient management and outcome prediction.

Approach:

• A retrospective review of 162 patients with electrical injuries admitted between January 2002 and August 2019.
• Data collected included demographics, injury details, treatment, complications (infection, graft loss, neurologic injury), imaging, consultations, testing, and mortality.
• Patients were stratified into high (>1000 volts), low (<1000 volts), and unknown voltage exposure groups for comparative analysis.

Key Points:

• High voltage EI correlated with increased male incidence (98.2%), loss of consciousness (69.1%), cardiac arrest (20%), and amputation rates (23.6%) compared to low voltage.
• No significant differences in long-term neurological deficits were found between voltage groups.
• Of 16.7% of patients with neurological deficits, 48.2% recovered, 33.3% persisted, and 7.4% died.

Conclusions:

• Electrical injuries manifest diverse immediate complications (cardiac, renal, deep burns) and potential delayed sequelae.
• Neurologic complications, though uncommon, require vigilant monitoring due to their potential for immediate onset or delayed presentation.
• The severity and outcomes of electrical burns are strongly associated with the voltage exposure, necessitating tailored treatment protocols.