38 – Electrical Injuries

Electrical injuries make up about 4% of an estimated 40,000 burn admissions in the United States. These can be particularly devastating burn injuries in that on a size-for-size basis, they account for more amputations and consume considerable resources. Decision making is complicated by involvement of the cardiac conduction system, potential for urgent decompression of compartment syndrome, and a more complicated resuscitation because of the potential for rhabdomyolysis caused by deep tissue injury. In addition, more complicated surgical intervention may be required for deep tissue injury and the need for subsequent coverage. These injuries are ideally cared for by the multidisciplinary team model as practiced in modern burn centers.