Advances in the evaluation and treatment of electrical and thermalinjury emergencies

摘要

Advances in the evaluation and treatment of electrical and thermalninjuries suggest that the mechanism of injury in electrical trauma isnmore complex than once thought. Thermal and nonthermal tissue damage canncause extensive destruction which may result in amputation rates as highnas 65 percent for accident survivors. This paper discusses thenterminology around electrical trauma and reviews current understandingnof the mechanisms of injury when an employee is exposed to electricalnhazards. Building on the classical analysis of electrical arc blastnburns, the use of burn models as predictors of injury is considered.nFinally, electrical injury concepts and their implications for treatmentnin the emergency and hospital settings are presented