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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Lightning injuries.

Lightning is persistently one of the leading causes of death caused by environmental or natural disaster. To understand the pathophysiology and treatment of lightning injuries one must first discount the innumerable myths, superstitions, and misconceptions surrounding lightning. The fundamental difference between high voltage electrical injury and lightning is the duration of exposure to current. Reverse triage should be instituted in lightning strike victims because victims in cardiopulmonary arrest might gain the greatest benefit from resuscitation efforts, although there is no good evidence suggesting that lightning strike victims might benefit from longer than usual resuscitation times. Many of the injuries suffered by lightning strike victims are unique to lightning, and long-term sequelae should be anticipated and addressed in the lightning victim.

Burns, Electric↗
PubMed2005

Modern concepts of treatment and prevention of lightning injuries.

Lightning is the second most common cause of weather-related death in the United States. Lightning is a natural atmospheric discharge that occurs between regions of net positive and net negative electric charges. There are several types of lightning, including streak lightning, sheet lightning, ribbon lightning, bead lightning, and ball lightning. Lightning causes injury through five basic mechanisms: direct strike, flash discharge (splash), contact, ground current (step voltage), and blunt trauma. While persons struck by lightning show evidence of multisystem derangement, the most dramatic effects involve the cardiovascular and central nervous systems. Cardiopulmonary arrest is the most common cause of death in lightning victims. Immediate resuscitation of people struck by lightning greatly affects the prognosis. Electrocardiographic changes observed following lightning accidents are probably from primary electric injury or burns of the myocardium without coronary artery occlusion. Lightning induces vasomotor spasm from direct sympathetic stimulation resulting in severe loss of pulses in the extremities. This vasoconstriction may be associated with transient paralysis. Damage to the central nervous system accounts for the second most debilitating group of injuries. Central nervous system injuries from lightning include amnesia and confusion, immediate loss of consciousness, weakness, intracranial injuries, and even brief aphasia. Other organ systems injured by lightning include the eye, ear, gastrointestinal system, skin, and musculoskeletal system. The best treatment of lightning injuries is prevention. The Lightning Safety Guidelines devised by the Lightning Safety Group should be instituted in the United States and other nations to prevent these devastating injuries.

Female↗
PubMed1990

Lightning injuries.

Lightning kills or injures thousands of people in the United States each year. Injuries are caused by the effects of electrical, thermal and mechanical energy, and a wide range of clinical results, involving multiple body systems, is possible. Important differences exist between lightning victims and patients injured by fire or by other forms of electricity. In lightning victims, successful resuscitation is highly likely, even among patients with conventional signs of brain death. With proper management, long-term physical and psychologic sequelae of lightning injury are rare.

Electric Injuries↗
PubMed2005

Spectrum of neurologic complications of lightning injuries.

Lightning is responsible for a wide spectrum of neurologic complications. Many of the persistent symptoms require long-term neurorehabilitation. The lightning-related neurologic conditions are divided into four categories. Category I consists of signs and symptoms that are temporary and usually benign. Category II conditions are prolonged or permanent produced by significant central nervous system lesions. Two of the most devastating complications are lightning-related encephalopathy and myelopathy. The disabilities that accompany these lesions call for concentrated neurorehabilitation. A large number of patients are afflicted with neurobehavioral symptoms that may last for months or years. Category III contains delayed neurologic syndromes. Category IV encompasses neurologic lesions that are not directly activated by the lightning strike but are the result of trauma secondary to falls or blasts effects. The sensible course for individuals at risk is to learn and follow lightning safety recommendations.

Humans↗
PubMed2002

Lightning injuries.

Lightning strikes may cause a constellation of injuries. Blunt head trauma, neurologic injury, and cardiac injury are common in these patients. In contrast to high-voltage electrocutions, blunt trauma after a lightning strike is common. Thorough evaluation of all organ systems is crucial. This report discusses mechanism of injury and describes initial evaluation and treatment of lightning strike victims.

Emergency Medical Services↗
PubMed1985

Lightning injuries.

Lightning causes more deaths than any other weather phenomenon. It is an electrical current that will choose the shortest paths between the contact points of the human body and may involve vital structures in its pathway. Almost every organ system can be injured by the electrical current of lightning. A broad spectrum of complications resulting from damage to the various organ systems has been reported. The sequelae peculiar to this specific type injury will dictate the choice of therapy.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMed1986

When lightning strikes. Pathophysiology and treatment of lightning injuries.

Lightning accidents are responsible for several hundred deaths and thousands of injuries each year in this country. Survivors sustain a variety of cardiac, neurologic, musculoskeletal, and dermatologic injuries. Eye and ear injuries are also occasionally noted. Education on how to minimize the possibility of such an accident is the best method of dealing with the problem. When prevention fails, prompt cardiopulmonary resuscitation and supportive treatment for the patient's particular injury are indicated.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Prevention and treatment of lightning injuries.

Lightning ranks first among natural disasters in terms of fatalities and property damage each year. If fortunate enough to survive, the victim of a lightning or electrical accident often presents with numerous complicated clinical manifestations. The astute nurse practitioner will be challenged to identify the immediate signs and symptoms of possible system disruption, and to institute the follow-up management necessary to prevent further complications. This article explores the nurse practitioner's role in the physical assessment of the client and the protocol for management and follow-up care. Case studies are presented to illustrate the various multisystem findings of clients struck either directly or indirectly by lightning. Environmental precautions to decrease the likelihood of lightning's harmful effects are also discussed. It is easier to prevent a lightning and/or electrical accident than to treat the victim.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Electrical injury and lightning injury: a review of their mechanisms and neuropsychological, psychiatric, and neurological sequelae.

Exposure to electrical current via industrial or residential accidents or lightning strikes is a serious and growing concern in today's medical community. The sequelae that result are referred to as electrical injury (EI) or lightning injury (LI). The relevant principles in electricity are reviewed with particular attention given to their damaging capabilities on the body. Specific neuropsychological, psychiatric, and neurological signs and symptoms as well as objective measures of psychological and neuropsychological functioning and brain imaging in victims of EI and LI, are reviewed from past research. Important issues relevant to researchers in the field are discussed. Finally, the role that neuropsychology might play in this area is outlined.

Brain Injury, Chronic↗
PubMed1985

Keraunoparalysis, a 'specific' lightning injury.

Lightning paralysis or keraunoparalysis, a transient paralysis associated with extreme vasoconstriction and sensory disturbances of one or more extremities as a result of lightning impact is described in two patients.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Lightning injuries.

Lightning victims who survive the initial insult can usually be treated conservatively, supportively, and expectantly.

Electric Injuries↗
PubMed2004

[Lightning injuries--a mixture of electrical, thermal and multiple trauma].

There are several misconceptions even among hospital personnel regarding damages and injuries caused by lightning. Few health care providers have experience from lightning injuries as they are rare and different (DC) from the more common high-voltage (AC) injuries. Furthermore, fatalities are uncommon. Burns do occur but are usually minor. Most lightning injuries occur in the summer season during outdoor leisure activities and in the vicinity of a tree or other large structures. In Sweden, on average, approximately seventeen persons per year are hospitalised and 0.2-0.8 persons per million inhabitants and year die due to lightning injuries. The primary treatment follows the general guidelines for other trauma, electrical, and burn injuries, i.e. as is described in the standardised ATLS, ABLS, or A-HLR programmes. However, there are some minor points that are different and may be stressed for a favourable outcome. In this paper these are addressed together with the epidemiology, effects and treatment of lightning injuries that are specific for Sweden. Unfortunately, little is known, apart from what is described in smaller case series, of the long time sequelae experienced by this patient population and further research is therefore particularly warranted in this respect.

Humans↗
PubMed1993

Lightning injury: report of a case.

Lightning injury can cause severe damage to many systems and often results in a high mortality. We report a case of sustained lightning injury in which a 54-year-old woman presented with heart failure, pulmonary edema and consciousness disturbance. The patient was found unconscious, lying face down on the ground of a trash dump on the day of a thunderstorm. No deformities were seen in the extremities, but scattered third degree burns (less than 1%) were found on her neck where her necklace had been. Ventilator and inotropic agents with an adequate fluid supply were used. A Swan-Ganz catheter was inserted for monitoring. The patient was discharged two weeks later with an uneventful clinical course, except for mild neurologic sequelae (amnesia, disorientation).

Female↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Telephone-related lightning injury.

OBJECTIVE: To review reported telephone-related lightning injuries, outline the mechanisms of injury and suggest treatment strategies. DATA SOURCES: Cases notified to Telecom Australia and an extensive search of the literature. DATA SYNTHESIS: There is a dearth of literature on telephone-related lightning injury. Some reports note it in passing, others describe single incidents. Case reports from Australia provide detail sufficient for review, and the general principles which govern management of such injuries are presented. CONCLUSION: Telephone-related lightning injury is not rare. Practitioners should be aware of the uniqueness of lightning injury and the complexity of its assessment. A research program aimed at further elucidation of the detail of this injury is proceeding.

Australia↗
PubMed1999

Electrical and lightning injuries.

Electricity and lightning can cause injury in a variety of ways, some of which may remain hidden from the unsuspecting physician until it is too late. Prompt and, if necessary, prolonged resuscitation are of proven benefit. Particular attention must be paid to the patient who suffers high-voltage injury, and deep electrothermal burns on damage to vital organs should be excluded. Uncommonly late sequelae are seen, and such patients require appropriate care.

Burns, Electric↗
PubMed1996

[Lightning injuries. Mechanisms and treatment].

Lightning injuries occur sporadically and are rarely seen in emergency departments, during the years 1991-1993 there have been 12 admissions due to this cause in Denmark. The special mechanisms of damage in lightning accidents are illustrated by review of the literature. The clinical findings are described, especially the transient neurological damage characterises lightning accidents. Contrary to what one would expect, the victim often survives a lightning accident. This is surprising considering the tremendous powers of nature involved and the serious clinical manifestations. Prevention is important, this is the reason why the population should be taught the appropriate behaviour if there is a thunderstorm. Resuscitation should be started immediately and continued even though the victim seems lifeless and might have dilated pupils not reacting to light. Good results have been reported even after prolonged resuscitation.

Humans↗
PubMed2004

[Bilateral plexopathy following lightning injury].

INTRODUCTION: The consequences of lightning injuries on the peripheral nervous system are widely unknown. CASE REPORT: We report on a 31 year-old woman who developed a bilateral brachial plexopathy 15 days after a lightning strike. The patient recovered progressively. CONCLUSION: Peripheral neuropathies due to lightning strikes are probably unrecognized in most of the cases, because occurrence may be delayed and only few patients were adequately investigated. Pathophysiological hypotheses are unclear and lean on experimental studies using electrical current.

Adult↗