Survey of electrical burns in Philippine General Hospital

Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1999 Oct 30:888:12-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1999.tb07938.x.

Abstract

A total of 211 patients were admitted at the UP-PGH Burn Unit in 1995. Sixty-eight (32.2%) patients suffered burn injuries secondary to electrical injury. In the period from July to December 1995, a total of 28 patients were admitted because of burns caused by electricity. Twenty-six (92%) patients sustained injury secondary to high tension (> 1000 V) electrical current and 2 (7.1%) secondary to low tension (< 1000 V) electrical current, specifically 220 V, which were both self-inflicted. Twenty-seven (96%) patients were males. Injury was work-related in 18 patients, nonwork-related in 8, and self-inflicted in 2. Sixteen (57%) patients suffered injuries on a rooftop, 11 (39%) patients on the ground, and 1 (3.5%) patient on top of an electric post. A total of 22 operations were performed on 28 patients, including 7 extremity amputations, which makes an amputation rate of 25%. There were 5 deaths secondary to overwhelming wound sepsis, making an overall mortality rate of 21.7% and an operative mortality rate of 22.7%. The average length of hospital stay was 17.2 days.

MeSH terms

  • Accidents, Occupational
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Burns, Electric* / etiology
  • Burns, Electric* / mortality
  • Burns, Electric* / surgery
  • Data Collection
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Length of Stay
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Philippines / epidemiology