J Korean Radiol Soc.  1998 Oct;39(4):801-805. 10.3348/jkrs.1998.39.4.801.

Bone and Joint changes following Electrical Burn: Plain Radiographic findings

• Kim UJ
• Lee ES
• Shim YS
• Kim SB
• Lee SH
• Jung HK
• Hwang DH
• Kang IW

• KMID: 2201234
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/jkrs.1998.39.4.801

Abstract

PURPOSE: To evaluate the plain radiographic findings of bone and joint changes following electrical burn.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study involved 19 patients with 27 bone and joints regions which had sufferedelectrical injury. The most common input and output sites were, respectively, the hand(7/14) and foot (6/10).Three other sites were involved. Four cases involved osteomyelitis, and in four, amputation was performed. Weobserved bone and joint changes, changes following osteomyelitis and changes in the amputation stump. We analyzedthe difference between input and output changes, and when this was interesting, the average time of onset wasassessed.
RESULTS
In bone and joint changes following electrical burn, the most frequent radiographic findingwas joint contracture (n=16). Other findings included osteolysis (n=8), articular abnormalites (n=6), periostitis(n=5), fracture (n=5), acro-osteolysis (n=2), and heterotopic bone formation (n=2). In cases involvingosteomyelitis(n=4), aggravation of underlying bone changes was noted.
CONCLUSION
In electrical burn, variouschanges were noted in bone and joints, and input injury was more severe than that of output.

Keyword

Bones, radiography; Joints, diseases

MeSH Terms

Acro-Osteolysis
Amputation
Amputation Stumps
Burns*
Contracture
Foot
Humans
Joints*
Osteogenesis
Osteolysis
Osteomyelitis