Effects of electrical injury on musculoskeletal system: a case report

Abstract

Introduction: Electric injury of severe nature causing death is known as electrocution. Surviving patients may develop short term or long-term effects on various organs including gangrene, slow necrosis of tissues, neural and psychiatric problems. Case report: A 27 years young male got electric injury accidently, leading to gangrene of left forearm & hand and multiple site slow progressive death of skin requiring below elbow amputation of left upper limb, repeated debridement and management by skin grafting and trans-positional flaps. He did not develop any systemic, neural or psychiatric abnormality. Clinical message: Electric injury patients should be observed for slow development of soft tissue and muscle necrosis even if they don't have any obvious problem on early examination.

Torture by administration of electric shocks: The case of PG

“…The electricity generated by these devices will follow the path of least resistance in the body and can travel through nerves, muscles, and bone. The resulting current releases thermal energy impacting high resistance tissues, such as bones, fat, and tendons, receive more damage (Dhaniwala et al, 2019). Therefore, victims of electrical torture may have numerous, nonspecific injuries that result from the electrical current on bodily tissues, the conversion of electrical energy into thermal energy resulting in burns, and the physical trauma resulting from muscle contraction and fall (Becour, 2013).…”

“…Long-term sequelae of electrical torture can include musculoskeletal stiffness, neuropathies, impotence, scarring, and post-traumatic stress disorder (Amnesty International, 1997;Dhaniwala et al, 2019). Other neurological manifestations following electrical injury, such as epilepsy, peripheral nerve lesions, delayed motor neuron disease, and ischemic necrosis of nerves surrounding the electrical exit site have been reported (Addante et al, 1991;Andrews & Reisner, 2017).…”