文摘
Electrical injuries do not belong to the commonest causes of presentation in the pediatric emergency department but they are often a challenge for the treating physician, as uncertainty prevails regarding the requirements of monitoring, the scope of instrumentation and laboratory diagnostics. The majority of electrical injuries in childhood are caused by household current (low voltage <-00 V). Contrary to widespread opinion, delayed arrhythmias (within 24 h) following low voltage accidents are uncommon in patients without electrocardiogram (ECG) changes at initial presentation. These patients do not require further diagnostics or overnight monitoring. Electrical accidents lead to cardiac damage only in the minority if cases. In extreme cases this results in cardiac arrest and loss of consciousness; however, various other ECG abnormalities can also occur. Such patients should be hospitalized and monitored by continuous ECG surveillance. In high voltage accidents >-00 V thermal damage with severe burns is the predominant injury pattern. Keywords Lightning injuries Cardiac arrhythmia Electric burns Risk stratification Electrocardiography