Changing trends in pediatric upper extremity electrical burns

Psychosocial Impact of Electrical Burn in Children: A Follow-Up Study Conducted at a Tertiary Care Hospital

Introduction Electrical burn injuries are very common in the pediatric population and are usually accidental and sometimes occupational. The objective of our study was to evaluate the epidemiology of electrical burn injuries and prospectively evaluate the long-term psychosocial impact of electrical burn injuries in children. Materials and methods A qualitative interview study was conducted prospectively among sixty patients presented to Holy Family Hospital, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. Demographic details, mode of presentation, detail of injury, total body surface area, initial condition, and surgical interventions were noted during their stay at the hospital. Their physical and psychological outcomes were evaluated by administering the Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire (BDDQ) via telephonic interviews after six weeks of discharge from the hospital. The study was conducted over a span of 1 year from January 2021 to January 2022. Results There were 60 patients who presented to the department of pediatric surgery during the span of the study. The mean age was 9.9 years ± 3.133 years (SD) and 80% of the patients were above 8 years of age with a male-to-female percentage of 86.67% to 13.33%, respectively. Forty-two (70%) patients incurred high-voltage electrical burns while 18 (30%) suffered low-voltage electrical burns. Mortality was 13.33% (n=8). Out of 52 patients who survived, 35 (67.30%) were labeled as having Body Dysmorphic Disorder upon administration of BDDQ through a six-week follow-up. The majority of the patients had abnormal or borderline results in different scales of SDQ. Conclusion The long-term psychological stress and the varied spectrum of psychiatric disorders in electrical burn patients are profound. The prevention of burn injuries can be effectively achieved by educating parents about safety measures and improving health infrastructure. Implementation of a dedicated national program for psychological support of burn patients should be made accessible to all patients.

Low- and High-Voltage Electrical Burns in Children: Ten Years of Experience

Objective Burn injuries are an important public health problem for all ages. Due to electrical burns high mortality and morbidity rates, their should be evaluated differently from burns from other sources. This study aims to determine factors associated with high- and low-voltage electrical burns in children. Material and Methods The records of 72 patients who were treated for electrical burns were analysed. Electrical burns were divided into two groups: low and high voltage. Demographic data, treatment, outcomes were compared between the two groups. Results The frequency of electrical burns was 1.5%. Low-voltage electrical burns were detected in 79.2% of the patients, and high-voltage electrical burns were detected in 20.8% of the patients. High-voltage burns were more common in rural residents (p < 0.05). Low-voltage electrical burns mostly occurred as a result of home accidents (89.5%), while high-voltage injuries were mostly caused by work accidents (66.6%), (p

Reconstruction of the Upper Extremity High-Voltage Electrical Injury: A Pediatric Burn Hospital's 13-Year Experience

High-voltage electrical injury is a rare yet destructive class of burn injury that persists as a serious public health issue. High-voltage exposure is commonly associated with complex wounds to the upper extremities, which can be a significant challenge for burn and plastic surgeons to reconstruct. This intensive and multistage reconstructive process is especially difficult in the growing child. Maximizing upper extremity function is a top priority, as it can have a significant impact on a patient's quality of life. Therefore, this retrospective review describes lessons learned during a 13-year experience at a specialized pediatric burn hospital with reconstruction of the upper extremity after severe high-voltage injury in 37 children. We found that adherence to the following principles can help promote meaningful functional recovery. These include: (1) frequent assessment during early acute care for the evolving need of decompression or amputation, (2) serial surgical debridement that follows a tissue-sparing technique, (3) wound closure by skin grafting or use of flaps (particularly groin or abdominal pedicled flaps) when deep musculoskeletal structures are involved, (4) early multidisciplinary intervention for contracture prevention and management including physical and occupational therapy, splinting, and fixation, (5) secondary reconstruction that focuses on the simplest possible techniques to repair chronic skin defects such as laser therapy, local tissue rearrangements, and skin grafting, (6) complex secondary reconstruction to address deeper tissue contractures or tendon and peripheral nerve deficits, and (7) amputation with preservation of growth plates, soft tissue transfer, and long-term prosthetic management when limb salvage is unlikely.

Patterns and outcomes of high-voltage versus low-voltage pediatric electrical injuries: an 8-year retrospective analysis of a tertiary-level burn center

INTRODUCTION

Although electrical injuries (EIs) are rare traumas in the pediatric age group, they are considered one of the most devastating injuries. We aimed to evaluate the patterns and outcomes of pediatric high-voltage (HVI) vs. low-voltage injuries (LVIs), admitted to the burn center within the efforts of determining evidence-based data for contributing to burn prevention strategies.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted on children with EIs hospitalized in the Burn Center of Adana City Training and Research Hospital (ACTRH) for eight years (2013-2020). Data including the patients' clinical and demographic characteristics, the percentage of total body surface area with burns (TBSA%), length of hospital stay (LOS), exposure place, electrical current type, and treatment results were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

EIs were detected in 57 (2.5%) of 2243 acute pediatric burn injury admissions. EIs were most frequently observed in the form of HVIs, among children within the age range of 13-18 years, mostly in residential outdoor environments, where the high-power lines still passing close to the home roofs and balconies, resulting from contact with them. Besides, with a lesser extent in LVIs, in the home environment among children under five years, which was caused by connection with substandard electrical cords/poor-quality electrical devices and inserting an object into the electric sockets. Concerning the mean of TBSA%, HVIs suffered more extensive burns than LVIs. The most frequently affected anatomical regions among HV and LVIs were the upper limb, followed by the lower limb. While superficial partial- and deep partial-thickness burns were significantly more common among the LVIs, full thickness burns were more prevalent among the HVIs. The amputation rate was 12% which only one of them was major amputation (forearm above the elbow joint). HVIs had more elevated CK and CK-MB levels than LVIs but were not correlated with ECG findings. Only one death (caused by HVI) was observed, with a mortality rate of 1.8%.

CONCLUSION

Pediatric EIs are less common than scald or fire-flame related burns in this age group but can cause significant morbidity and even mortality, especially in severe burns. It is possible to prevent possible morbidity and mortality by strengthening compliance with safety precautions, especially with parental education and raising social awareness. In this context, taking necessary precautions for passing high voltage power lines under the ground, the standardization of electrical cables by the relevant legal regulations, the use of socket covers in homes, promoting the widespread use of residual current relays and arrangements to be taken against the use of illegal electricity are among measures for the prevention strategy.