[Electric burns: epidemiological and therapeutic aspects].

OBJECTIVES

A retrospective study of patients with electrical burns was conducted to choose criteria for initial dispatching and establish a treatment protocol for out patient management.

METHODS

The study included 67 patients injured by electrical current and admitted at Edouard Herriot Hospital Burns Unit between January 1st 1990 and January 1st 1993.

RESULTS

Low-voltage currents (< 1000 Volts) responsible for serious and immediate cardio-vascular diseases occurred in domestic accidents, mostly with children. High-voltage current (> 1000 Volts) responsible for deep burn injuries occurred in accidents at work and mostly with adults. Twenty-two were outpatients and 45 were admitted at once. Two died on admission, 24 were hospitalized less than five days, 11 required repeated surgical treatments and a long stay at hospital, and 8 were severely burned and were admitted to the intensive-care unit. Two required continuous venovenous hemodialysis for three weeks. Morbidity of the last three groups was nil, morbidity remained high in term of functional and aesthetic after-effects.

CONCLUSION

Information on prevention of electrical burns should be intensified.