Residual myocardial damage following electrical injuries

It is unknown to what degree electrical injury causes cardiac muscle damage. We used standard clinical methods and varying combinations of 201Tl scintigraphy (TI), 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy, echocardiography, 99mTc-RBC angiography, and coronary catheterization to evaluate five patients with high-tension electrical injuries for cardiac damage. The first follow-up examination was performed within 2 months of injury, and the second follow-up was performed more than 6 months after the first follow-up. Electrocardiographic abnormalities were observed in two patients in the acute stage, but no abnormality was detected in the follow-up period. Myocardial perfusion abnormalities were found in all cases with Tl. The degree of injury indicated by Tl was more severe than that indicated by 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy. Moreover, Tl showed progression of injury in all cases. These preliminary findings must now be confirmed and verified in a larger group of patients.