OBJECTIVE: To report our experience monitoring patients with previously identified theoretical risk factors of significant electrical injury. METHODS: Patients who presented to one of 21 emergency departments between October 2000 and November 2004 were eligible to be enrolled in a prospective observational cohort study if after an electric shock they had one of several risk factors (transthoracic current, tetany, loss of consciousness or voltage source > or =1000 V) and therefore needed cardiac monitoring. RESULTS: Of the 134 patients enrolled, most were monitored because of transthoracic current (n = 60), transthoracic current and tetany (n = 39), tetany (n = 10), or voltage > or =1000 V (n = 10). There were 15/134 (11%) patients with abnormal initial ECGs. No patient developed potentially lethal late arrhythmia during the 24 hours of cardiac monitoring. CONCLUSION: Although only patients deemed at risk of late arrhythmias were monitored, none developed potentially lethal late arrhythmias. Asymptomatic patients with transthoracic current and/or tetany and a normal initial ECG do not require cardiac monitoring after an electrical injury with voltage <1000 V and no loss of consciousness.
OBJECTIVE: To report our experience monitoring patients with previously identified theoretical risk factors of significant electrical injury. METHODS:Patients who presented to one of 21 emergency departments between October 2000 and November 2004 were eligible to be enrolled in a prospective observational cohort study if after an electric shock they had one of several risk factors (transthoracic current, tetany, loss of consciousness or voltage source > or =1000 V) and therefore needed cardiac monitoring. RESULTS: Of the 134 patients enrolled, most were monitored because of transthoracic current (n = 60), transthoracic current and tetany (n = 39), tetany (n = 10), or voltage > or =1000 V (n = 10). There were 15/134 (11%) patients with abnormal initial ECGs. No patient developed potentially lethal late arrhythmia during the 24 hours of cardiac monitoring. CONCLUSION: Although only patients deemed at risk of late arrhythmias were monitored, none developed potentially lethal late arrhythmias. Asymptomatic patients with transthoracic current and/or tetany and a normal initial ECG do not require cardiac monitoring after an electrical injury with voltage <1000 V and no loss of consciousness.
Authors: J P Guinard; R Chiolero; E Buchser; A Delaloye-Bischof; M Payot; A Grbic; S Krupp; J Freeman Journal: Scand J Plast Reconstr Surg Hand Surg Date: 1987
Authors: Alexandra-Maria Warenits; Martin Aman; Clara Zanon; Felix Klimitz; Andreas A Kammerlander; Anton Laggner; Johannes Horter; Ulrich Kneser; Anna Sophie Bergmeister-Berghoff; Klaus F Schrögendorfer; Konstantin D Bergmeister Journal: Front Med (Lausanne) Date: 2020-11-11
Authors: Steen Møller Hansen; Sam Riahi; Søren Hjortshøj; Rikke Mortensen; Lars Køber; Peter Søgaard; Christian Torp-Pedersen Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2017-08-28 Impact factor: 2.692