Clinical Study for the Extent of Burn and Fluid Therapy in the Patients with Electrical Burn

Kim, Dong Heon

Abstract

Electrical burns constitute a unique type of thermal injury. With the passage of high tension current through body surface, 2,500 to 3,000â„ƒ heat was generated, and lead to coagulation of blood vessels, nerves, muscles, skin and other structures. Therefore, electrical burn differs from thermal burn in the point of extent, degree, fluid and electrolytes therapy. From February, 1979 to April, 1982, clinical study was performed in 17 patients with electrical burn of more than 20%, and formula used in thermal burn was modified, further then this modified formula was applied to the fluid and electrolytes therapy. The brief summary of observations were as follows: 1. Fluid loss below the necrotic limb was negligible, and only cut surface between the necrotic limb and viable limb was regarded as actual fluid loss area. 2. In many cases, amputation of extremities in electrical burn was inevitable due to irreversible changes in deep structures. 3. Amputation stump was not well fitted in most cases due to multiple skin damage and deep tissue injury in different levels of extremities.