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Current transmission

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

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Current transmission as a result of high voltage electrical injury can result in damage to many tissues:

  • surface injury: full-thickness injury at the sites of entry, exit and contact with the source
  • skeletal muscle:
    • deep muscle damage may be massive and not suggested by often minimal surface injury
    • damage to muscles within the compartment of a limb results in swelling in a closed system and the potential for a compartment syndrome
    • prophylactic fasciotomy should be considered if there is a potential for compartment syndrome
  • heart: cardiac arrest
  • gastrointestinal tract:
    • perforation of bowel
    • intestinal ileus
  • lungs:
    • apnoea
    • burns to lung parenchyma
  • kidneys: acute renal failure due tubular deposition of myoglobin and haemoglobin released from muscle and erythrocytes respectively

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The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

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