[Electric injuries--cardiac monitoring?].

During the years 1980-1990, 49 patients (38 men and 11 women) were treated in the department for various electrical injuries. The average age was 27 years (2-78 years). Thirty-nine had suffered low voltage (less than 1000 volts) accidents and ten had suffered high voltage (more than 1000 volts) accidents. The incidence and type of cardiac arrest/loss of consciousness on the scene of the accident, myoglobinuria, acute fasciotomies, surgical interventions, amputations, cardiovascular complications and outcome is reported. The most important finding was that no cardiac abnormalities were seen even with the patients with a clinical primary cardiac arrest. In spite of this finding 18 of the patients were initially brought to a medical department for electrocardiographic monitoring. This could clearly delay surgical intervention, though it did not seem to affect the final outcome (with some reservations). It was concluded that only abnormal ECGs should indicate electrocardiographic monitoring. Otherwise an electrical injury is a surgical matter.