Abstract
A 16-month-old girl suffered low-voltage electrocution from a hairdryer while playing in the bathtub. At exploratory laparotomy about 18 hours postinjury because of distention and persistent, unexplained acidosis, a 1.5-cm diameter necrotic lesion in the terminal ileum surrounded by multiple superficial serosal burns and a 1.5 X 1.0 cm eschar in the mid-transverse colon were found. The lesion in the small intestine was resected with wide margins and the colon lesion exteriorized. The child ultimately expired 12 hours after surgery from recurrent cardiac arrest. Abdominal visceral injury associated with major electrical injury is reviewed. Although the colon is probably the most frequently injured, the esophagus, pancreas, gallbladder, and small intestine have also been reported as directly injured by electric current. The importance of meticulous examination of the abdominal contents at laparotomy is stressed. Lesions of the small intestine should be resected with wide margins when possible and lesions of the colon resected with a colostomy or the injured segment exteriorized.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 246-250 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| Journal | Journal of Trauma |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| State | Published - Jan 1 1981 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Surgery
Cite this
Intestinal injury associated with low-voltage electrocution. / Williams, Donald; Karl, R. C.
In: Journal of Trauma, Vol. 21, No. 3, 01.01.1981, p. 246-250.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Intestinal injury associated with low-voltage electrocution
AU - Williams, Donald
AU - Karl, R. C.
PY - 1981/1/1
Y1 - 1981/1/1
N2 - A 16-month-old girl suffered low-voltage electrocution from a hairdryer while playing in the bathtub. At exploratory laparotomy about 18 hours postinjury because of distention and persistent, unexplained acidosis, a 1.5-cm diameter necrotic lesion in the terminal ileum surrounded by multiple superficial serosal burns and a 1.5 X 1.0 cm eschar in the mid-transverse colon were found. The lesion in the small intestine was resected with wide margins and the colon lesion exteriorized. The child ultimately expired 12 hours after surgery from recurrent cardiac arrest. Abdominal visceral injury associated with major electrical injury is reviewed. Although the colon is probably the most frequently injured, the esophagus, pancreas, gallbladder, and small intestine have also been reported as directly injured by electric current. The importance of meticulous examination of the abdominal contents at laparotomy is stressed. Lesions of the small intestine should be resected with wide margins when possible and lesions of the colon resected with a colostomy or the injured segment exteriorized.
AB - A 16-month-old girl suffered low-voltage electrocution from a hairdryer while playing in the bathtub. At exploratory laparotomy about 18 hours postinjury because of distention and persistent, unexplained acidosis, a 1.5-cm diameter necrotic lesion in the terminal ileum surrounded by multiple superficial serosal burns and a 1.5 X 1.0 cm eschar in the mid-transverse colon were found. The lesion in the small intestine was resected with wide margins and the colon lesion exteriorized. The child ultimately expired 12 hours after surgery from recurrent cardiac arrest. Abdominal visceral injury associated with major electrical injury is reviewed. Although the colon is probably the most frequently injured, the esophagus, pancreas, gallbladder, and small intestine have also been reported as directly injured by electric current. The importance of meticulous examination of the abdominal contents at laparotomy is stressed. Lesions of the small intestine should be resected with wide margins when possible and lesions of the colon resected with a colostomy or the injured segment exteriorized.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 7218389
AN - SCOPUS:0019432369
VL - 21
SP - 246
EP - 250
JO - Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
JF - Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery
SN - 2163-0755
IS - 3
ER -