Neurol. praxi. 2023;24(5):369-372 | DOI: 10.36290/neu.2023.034

Electrical injury and lightning injury of the nervous system

doc. MUDr. Edvard Ehler, CSc., FEAN¹, prof. MUDr. Ivana Štětkářová, CSc., MHA²

¹ Neurologická klinika, FZS Univerzity Pardubice a PKN, Pardubice

² Neurologická klinika, 3. lékařská fakulta Univerzity Karlovy a FNKV, Praha

When an electric shock occurs, it depends on the voltage, the length of the current, the type of current and where is the localization on the human body. A lightning strike is always very dangerous and connecting with a high mortality. A person can be affected by a direct hit, an indirect hit from surrounding structures, or a hit by ground currents. Nervous system can be damaged at the periphery (peripheral nerves), but also the brain, spinal cord, and muscles. Electric shock injuries are often of a more severe degree. The treatment is usually long-lasting. The final clinical outcome of the damaged nervous system is usually not perfect and may be incomplete. Prevention is therefore important, both for electric shocks and lightning injuries.

Keywords: electric shock, lightning, tissue damage, encephalopathy, neuropathy.

Received: April 20, 2023; Revised: May 8, 2023; Accepted: May 22, 2023; Prepublished online: May 22, 2023; Published: October 30, 2023  Show citation