[Burns caused by electrical current injuries]

A group of patients who died after thermal injuries was compared with those who died as a result of burns caused by electric current. Attention was focused on the survival time and the most frequent complications. In those who died as a result of electric current the mean survival period was shorter. More frequent complications were pneumonia, shock, severe dystrophic changes of parenchymatous organs, necrosis of the heart muscle, venous thrombosis and embolism of the pulmonary artery.