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Intestinal injury associated with low-voltage electrocution
The Journal of Trauma
|March 1, 1981
Summary
Electrical burns can cause severe abdominal visceral injuries, including to the small intestine and colon. Prompt surgical intervention with wide resection margins is crucial for managing these rare but serious complications.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Surgery
- Trauma Surgery
- Gastrointestinal Surgery
Background:
- Electrical injuries in children, though uncommon, can lead to significant internal organ damage.
- Abdominal visceral injuries from electrical sources require thorough surgical evaluation.
Observation:
- A 16-month-old child sustained electrocution from a hairdryer, resulting in necrotic lesions in the terminal ileum and transverse colon.
- Exploratory laparotomy revealed a 1.5-cm necrotic lesion in the small intestine and a 1.5 x 1.0 cm eschar in the colon.
Findings:
- The small intestinal lesion was resected with wide margins, and the colonic lesion was exteriorized.
- Despite surgical intervention, the child experienced recurrent cardiac arrest and expired 12 hours postoperatively.
Implications:
- This case highlights the potential for electrical injuries to cause severe gastrointestinal tract damage.
- Meticulous intraoperative examination of abdominal contents is vital in cases of major electrical injury.
- Surgical management should involve wide resection of small bowel lesions and exteriorization or resection of colon injuries.