High tension electrical burns from overhead electric lines can cause-
* Electricity exes its tissue damaging effects by conversion to thermal energy. * Tissue damage following a high-voltage electrical injury not only occurs at the Cutaneous contact site but may also involve underlying tissues and organs along the route taken by the current between the entrance and exit sites. * Misleading small cutaneous lesions may overlie extensive areas of devitalized muscle, which may liberate significant quantities of myoglobin and cause acute renal failure if an adequate renal output is not maintained. * High-voltage electric injury and lightning injury both can cause cardiopulmonary arrest. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) must be initiated immediately for the treatment of cardiac arrest. *Patients may require operative treatment as soon as hemodynamic stability is achieved. *A number of neurological changes may occur in the patient ranging from immediate peripheral deficits to relatively late- appearing deficits. *In general motor nerves appear to be more commonly affected than the sensory nerves. *Liver necrosis, intestinal perforation, focal pancreatic necrosis and focal gall bladder necrosis have been repoed. * Late complications include delayed hemorrhage even from moderate sized blood vessels.
Myoglobinuria and Acute renal failure
Severe alkalosis
No ECG change will be seen in the first 24 hours
Blood vessels are spared