Electrical burns are obtained from lightning strikes, discharge of current or if a person is in the field of an electric field. The severity of the damage directly depends on how long the impact and the strong discharge were. This trauma differs from other burns that on the surface of the skin there is a mark in the place where an electric wave entered and exited. Here also there will be a burn. Typical is the fact that most of this trauma affects internal organs.
Features of injury
In children and pregnant women, the consequences of electric shock with the electric shock are usually the heaviest, and in the latter such injuries can provoke a child's loss or numerous deviations in the development of internal organs. The most exposed to electric burns are men, which is often directly related to their professional activities.
Under the influence of current, not only burns occur, but also other phenomena not inherent in other types of burns.
- Thus, a fifth of the injured subsequently identified electric signs - a region of yellow or gray hue of different shapes, which sometimes repeats the current-carrying part. Such signs gradually disappear, and the recovery rate of sensitivity and elasticity of the skin will depend only on individual indices.
- Mechanical injuries from electric burns usually occur in 3% of cases.
- A much higher percentage is occupied by such phenomenon as metallization of the skin( about 10%).This happens when the molten parts of the electric arc penetrate the skin. In spite of the fact that the metal particles fall, as a rule, to several parts of the skin, it is gradually restored independently. Only with trauma to the eye outcome is not so favorable.
- Electroophthalmia appears after a strong flash and ultraviolet radiation. This phenomenon causes inflammation of the eyes and requires long-term serious therapy.
The electric shock accompanying a burn, in itself represents a danger not less. It can cause a strong contraction of the muscle tissue, which, with a strong and prolonged effect, will provoke a fatal outcome due to stopping breathing and working the heart. Sometimes trauma is also accompanied by a thermal burn( for example, due to burning clothes).
Electric Shock( photo)
Classification of electric burns
Electric burns are divided into 3 kinds:
- pin , which appears when a person directly contacts the current conductor;
- arc ( the current does not pass through the body, the burn is obtained due to contact with the electric arc);
- mixed , that is, under the influence of both factors.
The video below discusses first aid for burns and electric shock and arc damage:
Forms of
Defects have 4 forms of severity, i.e. 4 degrees of electric burn:
- I degree. Mild form, enough home therapy, since the damage is superficial. Of all the symptoms, there is only swelling and redness.
- II degree is characterized by the formation of blisters due to a deeper injury. Pain sensations are pronounced, but despite all the manifestations of the prognosis this form of electric burn is very favorable. With a small area of the lesion, it is possible to carry out therapy even at home.
- III degree. The skin layer dies off, and on the skin itself blisters are no longer serous, but bloody contents. Favorably, if after opening these bubbles there will be a red surface and there is a strong pain. If the surface is dark and there is no pain, then this indicates the impossibility of self-restoring the skin.
- With IV degree , not only the skin layers but also the bone tissue and muscles die. The condition in such cases is severe, a skin transplant is required in the obligatory case.
Causes of the occurrence of
The first two forms of burns occur when the current is exposed to 380V, and to obtain damage to the III and IV forms, a large current is needed.
The cause of the injury are bare wires, lightning, various installations and transformers.
Symptoms of
In electrical burns, a number of symptoms are observed:
- paralysis,
- fracture,
- nausea,
- weakness,
- frequent respiration,
- cardiac dysfunction,
- loss of consciousness.
After the impact, there may be a variety of symptoms and disorders in the body that can not be accurately predicted. So, often develop violations of biological processes, there are gaps in tissues. Sometimes even internal organs are destroyed.
Diagnostics
Key activities include such activities as interview and inspection. Usually this is enough to determine the extent and depth of the injury. The doctor determines the areas with non-viable areas of the tissue, to prescribe treatment measures and to prevent gangrene.
The greatest attention is paid to a full examination of the victim to identify any violations that were caused by a current discharge.
About what treatment requires an electric shock and other similar situations, we will tell below.
Treatment of
So, let's find out what to do with electric shock.
First aid for
Calling an ambulance for the injured is a mandatory item, but before the arrival of qualified help you can significantly help a person on their own. After stopping electricity supply, it is necessary to check the presence of respiratory and cardiac activity, since in this case it is important to start resuscitation yourself as soon as possible.
If the burn is not so significant, it is permissible to wash it by yourself for disinfection, after anesthetizing it beforehand, and then apply the dressing with an antiseptic. Further hospitalization is necessary if a stage III or IV injury is involved, but in other cases, too, you need to go to the hospital. This is no longer connected with the need to treat a burn, but with the need to check health, since electric current can seriously affect the work of the heart.
Separately, we consider the provision of first aid not only for electrical, but also for thermal, radiation, chemical burns.
Drug method
Because the burn is often accompanied by loss of consciousness and even cardiac arrest, the patient can be placed in intensive care. In the future, the level of lost fluid is restored with the help of infusion therapy. Anesthetics and anti-inflammatory drugs form the basis of treatment.
Operation
Surgical intervention with this form of burn is used to transplant healthy tissues and to remove damaged areas. The need for such operations is assessed only individually.
At not too deep burns excision at early stages do not do, and if they deep, sometimes even amputation is required. It is necessary to remove all tissues that have ceased to be viable, otherwise this will seriously affect the patient's condition.
About when to apply a surgical intervention, the decision is also made individually, because in some cases, delay is dangerous, and in others you can not rush, because you need to give the body time to recover from the injury. After surgery, the limb is immobilized by the tire. If the victim needs amputation, all treatment measures supplement psychological help.
The first in Russia face skin transplantation to a person who received an electric burn will tell this video:
Prevention of the disease
The most important prevention of burns is the performance of safety techniques. It is important for children to clarify all the rules regarding the handling of any conductors of electricity.
Complications of
Electro-injury can cause dangerous complications:
- paralysis;
- cardiac arrest;
- convulsions;
- injury to bone tissue and even the spine;
- respiratory arrest.
In severe forms of burn, the affected limbs can be amputated, if the chosen course of treatment does not bring results. Separately it is necessary to mention a burn disease.
Forecast
The most favorable is a burn with a small area of injury. With the electrical form of the lesion, the influence of how the current affected the work of the internal organs has a great influence. Most of the victims of domestic burns survive even with the III form of injury, if the first aid was timely.
The video below also provides information on what to do with electric shocks and other means: