Management of an Electrocuted Burn Injury in a District Hospital-A Case Report and Literature Review

摘要

Electrical burns are one of the important health burdens throughout the world with incidences varying between 4-18% of all burns. They comprise of several types, including lighting injury, high voltage injury (>1000V) and low voltage injury (<1000V). The severity of injury depends on the type and strength of current, current pathway and duration of contact. Injuries sustained from high voltage electrical current can result in cardiac arrest and death, while the other survivors may have extensive damage to soft tissues and bones along with muscle necrosis and rhabdomyolysis. Hereby, we present a case of 45-year-old man whom sustained a high voltage electrical injury (railway voltage) with 25% Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) of mixed partial burns over the path of current. He was managed primarily by general surgical team in a district hospital. In this article, we discuss about management of electrocuted burns in district hospital setting without burn unit. A prompt resuscitation and monitoring of potential complications secondary to electrical burns are vital to reduce morbidity and mortality.