Thalamic Infarct due to Electrical Injury

Year 2014, Volume: 5 Issue: 10, 244 - 246, 01.10.2014

Nazire Belgin Akıllı Ramazan Köylü Bekir Opuş Muhammet Kızmaz Yahya Kemal Günaydın Başar Cander

Abstract

Introduction: Electrical injuries are important environmental emergencies, ranging from simple skin burns to death. In this case, thalamic infarction, as a rare effect of electrical injury, will be discussed.   Case Report: A 38-year-old male patient being multiplied 380 volt industrial electricity was admitted to the emergency department with complaints of numbness and loss of strength on the right side 1 day after the event. In the first examination, the vital signs were stable and the patient was conscious. The lung, heart, and abdominal examination was normal. Whole blood count and blood chemistry were normal. The ECG was normal sinus rhythm. An acute infarct in the left thalamic level was detected in the captured brain CT and diffusion MR. All tests conducted for the etiology were considered normal. The patient was followed and treated for 15 days in the neurology department and then discharged from there.   Conclusion: Electrical injuries are common and major environmental emergencies that can be fatal. They can cause a lot of early and late neurologic syndromes. Cerebral infarction within this syndrome is a very rare statement. Although paresthesia due to electrical injuries is transient, imaging methods, such as CT and MR, should be used.

Keywords

Electrical injury, thalamic infarct, low voltage

Thalamic Infarct due to Electrical Injury

Abstract

Introduction: Electrical injuries are important environmental emergencies, ranging from simple skin burns to death. In this case, thalamic infarction, as a rare effect of electrical injury, will be discussed.Case Report: A 38-year-old male patient being multiplied 380 volt industrial electricity was admitted to the emergency department with complaints of numbness and loss of strength on the right side 1 day after the event. In the first examination, the vital signs were stable and the patient was conscious. The lung, heart, and abdominal examination was normal. Whole blood count and blood chemistry were normal. The ECG was normal sinus rhythm. An acute infarct in the left thalamic level was detected in the captured brain CT and diffusion MR. All tests conducted for the etiology were considered normal. The patient was followed and treated for 15 days in the neurology department and then discharged from there.Conclusion: Electrical injuries are common and major environmental emergencies that can be fatal. They can cause a lot of early and late neurologic syndromes. Cerebral infarction within this syndrome is a very rare statement. Although paresthesia due to electrical injuries is transient, imaging methods, such as CT and MR, should be used

Keywords

Electrical injury, thalamic infarct, low voltage

References

• Baker MD, Chiaviello C. Household electrical injuries in children. Epidemiology and identification of avoidable hazards. Am J Dis Child 1989;143:59–62.[CrossRef]
• Yaşar MA, Yaşar D, Ödeş R, Bolat E, Göksu H. Yüksek Voltaj Elektrik Çarpmasına Bağlı Akciğer ve Karaciğer Parankim Yanığı. Fırat Tıp Dergisi 2006; 11: 142-3.
• Cander B, Dur A, Koyuncu F, Gul M, Girişgin S. Elektrik Yaralanmalarının Demografik Ozellikleri ve Yatış Suresi Uzerine Etkili Faktorler. Akademik Acil Tıp Dergisi 2010; 2: 72-4.
• Caksen H, Yuca SA, Demirtas İ, Odabas D, Cesur Y, Demirok A. Right thalamic hemorrhage resulting from high-voltage electrical injury: a case report. Brain Dev 2004; 26: 134–6.[CrossRef]
• Patel A, Lo R. Electric injury with cerebral venous thrombosis. Case report and review of the literature. Stroke 1993; 24; 903-5.[CrossRef]
• Cherington M. Central nervous system complications of lightning and electrical injuries. Semin Neurol 1995; 15: 233–40.[CrossRef]
• Cherington M. Neurologic manifestations of lightning strikes Neurology 2003; 60: 182–5.[CrossRef]
• Johansen CK, Welker KM, Lindell EP, Petty GW. Cerebral Corticospinal Tract Injury Resulting from High-Voltage Electrical Shock Am J Neuroradiol 2008; 29: 1142–3. [CrossRef]
• JAEMCR 2014; 5: 244-6
• Akıllı et al. Thalamic Infarct due to Electrical Injury