Electrical burns: Highlights from a 5-year retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND: Electrical burns are the third most common cause of burn injuries, after scald and flame burns. In spite of decreasing mortality rates as advancements are made in treatment modalities and medical equipment, significant complications and socioeconomic consequences still accompany electrical burns. Analyzed in the present study were data from patients hospitalized for electrical burns between 2008 and 2012 in the Samsun Training and Research Hospital, the only burn care center in the Black Sea region of Turkey.
METHODS: Data from 94 patients (84 males, 10 females) hospitalized for electrical burns between 2008 and 2012 were retrospectively evaluated. Patient age, gender, occupation, presence of coexisting trauma, burn degree, burned percentage of total body surface area (TBSA), voltage of the electric current (low or high), medical cost (per day and total), and infection rates were analyzed.
RESULTS: Mean patient age was 26.4±13.2 years. Ten patients were female (10.6%) and 84 were male (89.4%). High-voltage burns were sustained by 47 patients (50%) and low-voltage burns by 42 (44.7%); the remaining 5 were flash burns. Mean burned TBSA was 21.8±19.8% in high-voltage injuries and 11.9±6.9% in low-voltage injuries. Seven patients had accompanying soft tissue lacerations, major bone fractures, or epidural hematomas. Findings of infection were encountered in 31 patients (32.9%), and appropriate treatments were initiated according to culture results. Mean duration of hospitalization was 21.3±19.8 days in patients with high-voltage burns and 8.6±6.2 days in patients with low-voltage burns. Mean hospital stay was 2.5-fold longer, and total medical costs were 4-fold higher in patients with high-voltage burns.
CONCLUSION: Young adult males who were injured in industrial accidents constituted the majority of high-voltage burn patients. Incidence of these injuries may be reduced by improvements in training regarding the safe use of electrical devices, and correct installation and safe maintenance of power grids, as well as by a review of occupational safety regulations.

Elektrik yanýklarý: Beþ yýllýk geriye dönük deðerlendirme

AMAÇ: Elektrik yanýðý; haþlanma ve alev yanýklarýndan sonraki en sýk üçüncü yanýk þeklidir. Tedavi olanaklarýndaki geliþmeler sayesinde düþme görülen mortalite oranlarýna raðmen elektrik yanýklarý halen ciddi komplikasyonlara ve sosyoekonomik sonuçlara neden olan yaralanmalardýr. Bu çalýþmada 2008–2012 yýllarý arasýnda Samsun Eðitim Araþtýrma Hastanesi Yanýk Merkezi’nde yatarak tedavi gören hastalara ait verilerin geriye dönük analizi sunuldu.
GEREÇ VE YÖNTEM: 2008–2012 yýllarý arasýnda elektrik yanýðý ile yatýrýlan ve gerekli tedaviler uygulanan toplam 94 (84 erkek, 10 kadýn) hasta incelendi. Hasta demografik bilgileri, yanýk derecesi, toplam alaný, voltaj türü (yüksek/alçak), tedavi maliyeti, tedavi yöntemleri, enfeksiyon oranlarý ve eþlik eden travmalar açýsýndan deðerlendirildi.
BULGULAR: Hastalarda ortalama yaþ 26.4±13.2 olarak bulundu, 47 hastada (%50) yüksek voltaj yanýðý, 42 hasta düþük voltaj yanýðý ve beþ hasta ark yanýðý mevcuttu. Toplam yanýk alaný yüksek voltajda %21.8 (±19.8), düþük voltajda %11.9 (±6.9) olarak bulundu. Yedi hastada eþlik eden travma mevcuttu. Otuz bir hastada (%32.9) enfeksiyon bulgularý geliþti ve uygun tedavi baþlandý. Yüksek voltaj ve düþük voltaj yaralanmalarýnýn toplam hastanede kalma ve tedavi maliyetleri arasýnda anlamlý fark mevcuttu.
TARTIÞMA: Yaptýðýmýz geriye dönük araþtýrmada yüksek voltaj yaralanmalarýnýn büyük çoðunluðunu sanayi yaralanmalarý olduðunu ve olgularýn tümünün genç erkek yetiþkinlerden oluþtuðunu gözlemledik. Çalýþanlarýn iþ güvenliklerinin artýrýlmasýný saðlayan önlemlerin yaný sýra elektrik daðýtým þebekelerinin güvenliðinin pekiþtirilmesi ve elektrik kullanýmý konusundaki güvenlik bilincinin artýrýlmasý bu önemli yaralanmalarýn sýklýðýný ve þiddetini azaltacaktýr.