Childhood deaths due to electrocution in Adana, Turkey

Akçan, Ramazan; Hilal, Ahmet; Gülmen, Mete Korkut; Çekin, Necmi

doi:10.1111/j.1651-2227.2007.00152.x

Cited by 14 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…The average age of fatal electrocution in our study is in agreement with the results of some studies (4,8), but lower than found by others (6). The ratio of male/female victims varies from 1: 1.67 (4) to 1: 5.17 (6), and our result (1: 3.4) being close to the middle of the range.…”

supporting

confidence: 93%

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Epidemiology of fatal electrical injuries in children and adolescents

Dokov

2009

Acta Paediatrica

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supporting

confidence: 93%

“…Another commonly used indicator is the proportion of children with electricity‐related injuries from the total number of all forensic autopsies conducted. In one study, it was found that children accounted for 0.8% of all autopsies (6). Our results indicate that 3.5 times fewer deaths occurred in children in Bulgaria.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Epidemiology of fatal electrical injuries in children and adolescents

Dokov

2009

Acta Paediatrica

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“…Air embolism has not been described as a mechanism of death in electricity-related deaths [6][7][8]15]. Death from electrocution is usually instantaneous at the time of exposure to the electrical source, due to arrhythmia (ventricular fibrillation), though there are a few reported cases resulting in late deaths associated with electrocution [15,16].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is believed that most deaths from electrocution are due to ventricular fibrillation [7]. Other recognized mechanisms of death in electrocution are respiratory arrest due to inhibition of central nervous system respiratory drive, or respiratory arrest secondary to tetanic contraction of respiratory muscles [8]. The underlying electrophysiological mechanism is disruption of the endogenous electrical polarity of the victim's cells by the exogenous current, causing them to malfunction or cease functioning altogether.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Electrical injury of the neck and cardiac air embolism: a novel mechanism of death

Kitulwatte

Pollanen

2008

Forensic Sci Med Pathol

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We report a case of air embolism in an industrial worker complicating a deep electrical injury in the neck. He was found dead in an upright position while his chest and head were resting on top of a live transformer. At autopsy, there were multiple electrical burns involving the face, neck, chest, and arms. There was a deep electrical burn associated with hemorrhage in the neck involving the skin, underlying subcutaneous tissue, strap muscles, and the thyroid gland. The internal examination showed a prominently bulging right atrium, which was filled with air and not blood. At autopsy, when the pericardium was filled with water and the right atrium opened, a large number of bubbles emerged. We concluded that death was due to air embolism complicating electrical damage to the neck veins. This case illustrates that acute complications of electrical burns rather than electrocution-related cardiac arrhythmia can be the mechanism of death in rare electricity-related deaths. It also reveals the difficulties encountered by the pathologist in determining the exact mechanism of death when there are competing mechanisms.

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“…Ankara'da yapılan elektrik akımı yaralanmasına bağlı ölümlerin %30,8'inin çocuk yaş grubunda olduğu belirtilmiştir (4). Yapılan otopsi çalışmalarında, elektrik akımı yaralanmasına bağlı çocuk ölümlerinin oranı %0,3 ile %4,6 oranlarında olduğu belirtilmiştir (5)(6)(7)(8).…”

Section: Introductionunclassified

Myocardial infarction secondary to electrocution: report of a child case

Karapirli¹,

Keten²,

Akçan³

et al. 2012

Gaziantep Med J

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ÖzetElektrik çarpmasına bağlı yaralanmalarda kardiyak ritim bozuklukları görülmektedir. Ancak akut miyokard infarktüsü nadir olarak rastlanmaktadır. Bu çalışmada elektrik akımına maruziyet sonucu miyokard hasarı gelişen çocuk olgu medikolegal yönleri ile sunulmuştur. Onüç yaşında erkek olgunun sokakta oynarken bir evden sarkan elektrik kablosunu tutması üzerine elektrik akımına kapıldığı ve acil servise arrest şekilde başvurduğu belirtilmiştir. Yapılan tetkikler sonucunda kardiyak enzimler ve troponin düzeylerinde yükselme olduğu, miyokardiyal etkilenim olduğu tespit edilmiş ve olgu yaralanmadan 3 gün sonra yoğun bakımda exitus olarak kabul edilmiştir. Otopside sağ ve sol elde elektrik akımına ait giriş ve çıkış lezyonları saptanmıştır. Histopatolojik incelemelerde, kalp dokusunda miyokard infarktüsü ile uyumlu bulgular tespit edilmiştir. Elektrik çarpması sonucu miyokard infarktüsü çoğunlukla koroner arter spazm ve direkt miyokardiyal hasar sonucu oluşmaktadır. Elektrik akımına bağlı yaralanma olgularının postmortem incelemesinde olay yeri inceleme tutanakları, hastane kayıtları gibi otopsi öncesi bilgilerin incelenerek otopsiye başlanması uygun olacaktır. Otopsi sırasında cilt lezyonlarından histopatolojik incelemeler yapılması, lezyonların fotoğraflanması önem taşımaktadır. Anahtar kelimeler: Elektrik çarpması; miyokard infarktüsü; otopsi AbstractCardiac rhythm defects can be seen due to electrocution related injuries. However, myocardial infarcts due to electrocution are rarely seen. Here, we present a case of myocardial infarction due to electrocution in children, with its medico-legal aspects. A thirteen years old male exposed to electrical current while playing with an open electrical cable. He was arrested upon admission to the emergency department. Laboratory tests revealed cardiac affection characterized with increased levels of cardiac enzymes and troponin. Three days after injury the child died in intensive care unit. At autopsy, entry and exit points of electrical injuries were seen on right and left hands. Histopathological examination showed finding attributable to myocardial infarction. Myocardial infarction due to electrocution is generally caused by coronary artery vasospasm and/or direct myocardial damage. Crime scene investigation findings, hospital records are of high importance to be available and such documents should be reviewed prior to autopsy. Furthermore, photographing of injuries and histopathological evaluation of skin lesions should be performed.

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Childhood deaths due to electrocution in Adana, Turkey

Abstract: Medical units, and paramedical and educational centres should play important roles in formulating public health strategies to tackle preventable deaths such as electrocution.

Cited by 14 publications

References 15 publications

Epidemiology of fatal electrical injuries in children and adolescents

Epidemiology of fatal electrical injuries in children and adolescents

Electrical injury of the neck and cardiac air embolism: a novel mechanism of death

Myocardial infarction secondary to electrocution: report of a child case

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