A 55-year-old male patient suffered from severe high-voltage electric burn with an area of 20%TBSA full-thickness injury. The injury involved the distal end of left upper limb, right trunk, and whole abdominal wall. Fracture of the 7th-10th ribs was found in the right side of chest, with perforation of abdominal cavity, and bilateral pleural effusion was found. Part of the small intestine was necrotic and exposed. At the early stage, xeno-acellular dermal matrix was grafted after debridement of abdominal wound; peritoneal lavage was performed; negative pressure drainage was performed in orificium fistula of intestine for promoting the adhesion between perforated intestine and abdominal scar. Two orificium fistulas formed after closure of abdominal granulation wound by autologous skin grafting. Eschar of chest wall and denatured ribs were retained. The risk of infection of thoracic cavity was decreased by promoting the adhesion between lung tissue and chest wall. During the treatment, the patient was diagnosed with Henoch-Schonlein purpura nephritis by renal biopsy, with the symptoms of purpura in the lower limbs, heavy proteinuria, severe hypoalbuminemia, edema, etc. After control of kidney damage by immunosuppressive treatment instead of glucocorticoid, alleviation of the levels of proteinuria and blood albumin, free latissimus dorsi myocutaneous flap was excised to repair chest wall, and free skin graft was excised to repair intestinal fistula. After all the wounds were successfully covered, the patient was treated with glucocorticoid combined with immunosuppressants for more than 1 year. The patient was followed up for 3 years, and his renal function was completely recovered with satisfactory clinical outcome.
Abdominal Cavity ; Abdominal Injuries ; complications ; surgery ; Burns, Electric ; complications ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nephritis ; complications ; surgery ; Purpura, Schoenlein-Henoch ; complications ; surgery ; Thoracic Cavity ; Thoracic Injuries ; complications ; surgery

Simultaneous bilateral fractures of the femoral necks are rare injuries, especially when there is no underlying pathological condition. We report a 20-year-old man who sustained bilateral femoral neck fractures resulting from an accidental electric shock with 440 V direct current. Simultaneous bilateral femoral neck fractures after electrical shock injury without falling from a height are rather uncommon in clinic. The main cause of the fracture may be muscle contraction. This case highlights that even in the absence of primary and secondary bone disease, bilateral fractures of the femoral necks can occur following electric shock injury. We successfully managed this case with bilateral cannulated screw fixation without bone grafting. Surgeons caring for patients with electrical injury should be aware of the possibility of skeletal injuries which can go unnoticed, leading to delay in diagnosis and increased risk of complications.
Adult ; Electric Injuries ; complications ; Femoral Neck Fractures ; etiology ; surgery ; Humans ; Male

It is the intent of this study to estimate the progression or regression of edema at the bedside continuously. Based on the theoretic model, the Adaptive Genetic Algorithm (AGA) has been applied in the calculation of conductivity reconstruction. Dynamic crossover and mutation operators which are based on Haiming Distance are brought forward in this paper to maintain generation's diversity. Then, both AGA and Standard GA (SGA) have been applied in the conductivity reconstruction of edema in human brain. It is shown that AGA not only has attained a higher degree of efficiency but also has enhanced the capability to converge to the best answer.
Algorithms ; Brain Injuries ; complications ; pathology ; Computer Simulation ; Edema ; pathology ; Electric Impedance ; Humans ; Models, Biological

We report electroversion in treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia (AVNRT) in a patient with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and cervical spinal cord injury. At first, the patient sustained respiratory failure and weak cough reflex, thereafter repeated bronchoscopy was used to aspirate the sputum as well as control the pneumonia, which resulted in arrhythmia (AF and AVNRT). Two doses of intravenous amiodarone failed to correct the arrhythmia. After restoration of sinus rhythm by electroversion, he was successfully weaned from mechanical ventilation and discharged from the intensive care unit without recurrent arrhythmia.
Atrial Fibrillation ; complications ; therapy ; Bronchoscopy ; Cervical Vertebrae ; injuries ; Electric Countershock ; Electrocardiography ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Respiration, Artificial ; Spinal Cord Injuries ; complications ; Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome ; complications

OBJECTIVETo explore the efficacy of neuromodulation (including sacral neuromodulation and dorsal penile/clitoral nerve neuromodulation) for the treatment to neurogenic bowel dysfunction due to spinal cord injury.

METHODSFrom January 2006 to April 2008, 9 patients with neurogenic constipation after spinal cord injury underwent the therapy of neuromodulation, 1 patient underwent the therapy of sacral neuromodulation, 8 patients underwent the therapy of dorsal penile/clitoral nerve neuromodulation. The therapeutic efficacy was evaluated and followed up by means of Wexner constipation score.

RESULTSOne patient received permanent electrode and neurostimulator implantation and constipation were improved continuously. A significant improvement in the Wexner constipation score was observed compared with the preoperative baseline level (preoperative baseline: median 22; after implantation: median 9). Four patients were effective after the therapy of dorsal penile/clitoral nerve neuromodulation. Wexner constipation score decrease from 19 to 11 after 12 weeks dorsal penile/clitoral nerve neuromodulation. Patients also showed a significant improvement in their symptoms and quality of life during follow up.

CONCLUSIONSSacral neuromodulation and dorsal penile/clitoral nerve neuromodulation may be effective for some neurogenic constipation. However there are no methods successfully identify the candidate who will be beneficial before the procedure. Good quality research data are needed to evaluate the effects of sacral neuromodulation and dorsal penile/clitoral nerve neuromodulation for these conditions.

Constipation ; etiology ; therapy ; Electric Stimulation Therapy ; methods ; Electrodes, Implanted ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Male ; Spinal Injuries ; complications ; Treatment Outcome

Posterior shoulder dislocation is a rare event that may occur after a direct trauma, an epileptic seizure, electric shock or electroconvulsive therapy. In more than 50% of the cases, posterior dislocations are missed on initial evaluation and often misdiagnosed as frozen shoulders with unfortunate consequences. We present the case of a missed posterior subluxation and reverse Hill Sachs lesion (McLaughlin lesion) in a 40-year-old woman caused by anelectric shock of 240 V. The patient underwent surgery in our institute two weeks after the injury. The humeral head was reduced and the reverse Hill Sachs lesion was filled by demineralized bone matrix allograft with osteoinductive factors. Tendons were repaired and a temporaneous artrodesis was performed. At the final follow up of 12 months, we obtained a Costant Score of 93 and the patient returned to her previous daily activities.
Adult ; Diagnostic Errors ; Disability Evaluation ; Electric Injuries ; complications ; diagnosis ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Shoulder Dislocation ; diagnosis ; etiology ; surgery

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes of creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) and heat shock protein 60 (HSP 60) in rats without electric marks after electric injury, to identify the relationship of the CK-MB, HSP 60 and the time of electric injuries, and to evaluate the damage to cells after electric injury. METHODS: The animal model of electric injury without electric marks was established by alternating current (voltage 110 V). Automatic biochemistry analyzer was used to detect the serum CK-MB and immunohistochemical staining technology was used to analyze the tissues of myocardium and left lobe of liver. RESULTS: The amount of serum CK-MB was increased when the rats were injuried, and reached the peak at 30min. Then the amount of CK-MB began to decrease and showed a slight downward trend in 3-5 h after electric injury, and leveled off at 6 h. Immunohistochemistry staining also showed the changes of HSP 60 of rats' myocardial cells and hepatic cells regularly after electric injury. CONCLUSION The regular changes of serum CK-MB and tissular HSP 60 in rats can be used to diagnosis electric injury and assess the injury of internal organs after the electric injury without electric marks.
Animals ; Chaperonin 60/metabolism* ; Creatine Kinase, MB Form/metabolism* ; Electric Injuries/complications* ; Immunohistochemistry ; Liver/pathology* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Rats

OBJECTIVETo explore the pathogenic characteristics and management of brain injury in patients injured by high voltage electricity.

METHODSOne hundred and thirty eight patients injured by electricity were enrolled in this study. Postburn brain injury was diagnosed by clinical sighs and imaging analysis. The brain injury was graded as mild, moderate, severe and most severe. The relationships among the inlet of the electric current and the electric voltage and the degree of brain injury were analyzed, and the causes and pathogenesis of the brain injury were suggested. Treatment modality was optimized for the patients according to the diagnostic data.

RESULTSIn this group of patients, brain injury was identified in 106 cases, mostly rated as mild and moderate. Only 4 cases were ranked as severe degree with positive imaging findings. The electric voltage seemed to be not correlated with the incidence of postburn brain injury. But the intensity of electric current and the locations of electrical current inlet and outlet were closely related to the degree of brain injury. Among all the patients in this group, 131 survived and 7 died after treatment. But there was no death due directly to brain injury.

CONCLUSIONThere was high incidence of postburn brain injury in patients injured by high voltage electricity. The injury might be related to the direct effect of electrical current on the brain tissue, to mechanical injury, to the cardio-pulmonary lesions caused by electrical current, or to massive skin burn. Early and accurate diagnosis of the injury was of key importance for lowering both mortality and disability.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Brain Injuries ; diagnosis ; etiology ; therapy ; Burns, Electric ; complications ; diagnosis ; therapy ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Humans ; Injury Severity Score ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVETo explore the timing and suitable method of reconstructing penile defects caused by devastating electrical burn.

METHODSThirteen patients with penile defects after devastating electrical burn, hospitalized from September 1998 to August 2013, were included in this study. After the necrotic tissues in the wounds were removed by dressing changes, a local or a hinge-like flap constructed from scrotum or abdominal wall, a prelaminated hinge-like flap from forearm, or a free forearm flap was selected, according to the injury degree of the penis, for the repair of the defect or reconstruction of penis respectively.

RESULTSThe flaps survived and the wounds healed well in 2 patients repaired with local flaps from scrotum or abdominal wall. Urethritis occurred in 2 patients 6 to 9 months after the transplantation of hinge-like flaps from scrotum, and they were cured by appropriate drugs. Functions of urination and erection of penis were recovered in these 4 patients. All flaps survived in the 5 patients repaired with hinge-like flaps from abdominal wall or prelaminated flaps from forearm. The wounds in 2 patients healed; wound dehiscence occurred in the other 3 patients in different degrees, and they healed after suturing for 2 or 3 times. The function of erection of penis recovered in these 5 patients, but with discontinuity of urinary stream during urination. Among them, 3 married patients enjoyed satisfactory sexual life. All free forearm flaps survived and the wounds healed well in 4 patients. Urinary fistula occurred in 1 patient, and it was repaired by a secondary operation. These 4 patients experienced normal urination function, but only 2 patients in whom corpus spongiosum partially remained retained the function of erection of penis to certain degree. All these 4 patients could not perform normal sexual intercourse. All patients were followed up for 6 to 13 months after surgery. Under ordinary state, the length of penis was 5.9-9.3 cm, and the circumference of penis was 8.4-10.0 cm. Wound scar was not obvious in all cases. Nine patients reported a restricted erection.

CONCLUSIONSPenile defect caused by devastating electrical burn should be repaired with a suitable flap after necrotic tissues are removed with dressing change. To repair affected penis with necrosis of a small part of cavernous body and/or corpus spongiosum, or combined with urethra defects, local flaps from scrotum or abdominal wall or hinge-like flap from scrotum should be employed. To repair those with necrosis of a large part or the whole of corpus spongiosum combined with urethra defects, hinge-like skin flaps from abdominal wall or prelaminated flaps from forearm should be employed. In patients with necrosis of a large part of cavernous body and corpus spongiosum combined with urethra defect, or total loss of penis, free forearm flaps should be employed to reconstruct penis.

Burns, Electric ; surgery ; Free Tissue Flaps ; Humans ; Male ; Necrosis ; Penis ; injuries ; surgery ; Postoperative Complications ; Reconstructive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Scrotum ; Skin Transplantation ; Surgical Flaps ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Wound Healing

OBJECTIVETo observe the effects of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) on the inflammatory response and vascular injury in rat after electric burn.

METHODSA homemade regulator and transformer apparatus was used to reproduce the model of electric burn (0.5 cm×0.5 cm in size) with depth from full-thickness to full-thickness skin plus muscle and bone on the middle of the inside of right hind limb in 60 Wistar rats. The open wounds were covered with 20 g/L sulfadiazine silver paste immediately after injury. The wound condition was observed every day. The injured rats were divided into group LMWH and control group (C) according to the random number table, with 30 rats in each group. Rats in group LMWH were given subcutaneous injection of LMWH (1 U/g) in abdominal wall, 2 times a day. No other treatment was given in rats in group C. On post burn day (PBD) 3, 5, and 10, 10 rats respectively of two groups were sacrificed. The damaged tissue of wound and that around the wound (1.0 cm×0.5 cm in size) were excised, and heart blood was obtained. The pathological changes and thrombosis in damaged tissue were observed with HE, Masson, and aldehyde fuchsin staining, and the thrombosis rate was calculated. Serum contents of TNF-α and endothelin-1 were determined with ELISA. The mRNA expression of TNF-α in damaged tissue was detected with RT-PCR. Data were processed with Levene homogeneity test, analysis of variance of factorial design, LSD- t test, SNK- q test, and Friedman M nonparametric test.

RESULTS(1) The injured limb of rats was obviously swollen after electric burn, which reached deeply to the muscle and bone. Compared with those of group C, the swelling of rats subsided slightly faster and the inflammatory response was lighter in group LMWH at each time point. (2) The necrosis of damaged tissue and profuse infiltration of inflammatory cells were observed. Dilatation of blood vessels, congestion and thrombosis, and swelling, necrosis, and desquamation of vascular endothelial cells were observed in the damaged tissue. Damaged blood vessel wall, ruptured elastic fiber, loss of internal elastic membrane, and other pathological changes were observed in the damaged tissue of rats in the two groups. Above lesions were improved gradually along with the passage of time, and the improvement was more obvious in rats of group LMWH compared with that of group C on PBD 5 and 10. (3) The thrombosis rates of rats in group LMWH were obviously lower than those of rats in group C (F = 4.921, P < 0.05). The thrombosis rates of rats in group LMWH on PBD 3 and 10 were respectively (0.07 ± 0.11)% and (0.03 ± 0.05)%, which were significantly lower than those of rats in group C [(0.16 ± 0.15)% and (0.13 ± 0.18)%, with t values respectively 2.17 and 2.07, P values below 0.05]. In group LMWH, the thrombosis rate of rats on PBD 10 was obviously lower than that on PBD 3 (t = 3.61, P < 0.05). (4) The serum contents of TNF-α and endothelin-1 of rats in group LMWH were significantly lower than those of rats in group C (F = 47.161, χ(2) = 81.46, P values below 0.01). In group LMWH, TNF-α contents were respectively (71 ± 24), (74 ± 14), (72 ± 20) pg/mL, and endothelin-1 contents were respectively (20.9 ± 3.2), (19.8 ± 5.2), (18.6 ± 1.1) ng/mL on PBD 3, 5, and 10, and they were significantly lower than those of rats in group C [(195 ± 148), (96 ± 20), (159 ± 46) pg/mL and (38.8 ± 15.4), (27.9 ± 3.6), (25.6 ± 7.6) ng/mL, with t values from 3.81 to 8.05, q values from 4.41 to 7.85, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01]. (5) The mRNA expression levels of TNF-α in damaged tissue of rats in group LMWH were significantly lower than those of rats in group C (F = 199.113, P < 0.01). The mRNA expression levels of TNF-α of rats in group LMWH were respectively 0.93 ± 0.10, 1.15 ± 0.12, 1.21 ± 0.11 on PBD 3, 5, and 10, and they were significantly lower than those of group C (1.68 ± 0.15, 1.43 ± 0.12, 1.50 ± 0.13, with t values from 3.75 to 6.12, P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). In group LMWH, the mRNA expression level of TNF-α of rats on PBD 10 was obviously higher than that on PBD 3 (t = 3.61, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLMWH intervention can ameliorate vascular injury and inflammatory response of electrically burned wounds in rats, and it decreases thrombosis rate in the vessels of injured limb.

Animals ; Anticoagulants ; administration & dosage ; Burns, Electric ; blood ; complications ; therapy ; Endothelin-1 ; Heparin, Low-Molecular-Weight ; administration & dosage ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Serum ; metabolism ; Treatment Outcome ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood ; Vascular System Injuries ; therapy