Escandón EYM, González AMA, Mendoza ZFM

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 228-231
PDF size: 194.97 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Electrical burns are due to a sudden and extreme increase of the tissues temperature causing severe and progressive tissues damage, even the deep muscular planes ant the bones. When these lesions are associated with rhabdomyolysis, a compartment syndrome develops leading, if it is not treated, to a irreversible lose of the extremity. The treatment of electrical burn victim on a high voltage includes aggressive fluid resuscitation, serial assessment of distal vascular integrity and emergency surgery for fasciotomies along with a muscle compartment exploration. This case is about a patient who suffered a burn by a high electrical voltage at the site of entry, producing burns of second and third degree, with exit site on the right flank, which evolved to a compartment syndrome with a bad course due to a late initial management. Fasciotomies were performed at our unit but did not have a good outcome and it was decided amputation of the hand.