Citation

Tseng YL, Tsai MC, Wu MH. J. Formos. Med. Assoc. 1993; 92(8): 759-761.

Affiliation

Department of Emergency Medicine, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Tainan, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1993, Scientific Communications International)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

7904854

Abstract

Lightning injury can cause severe damage to many systems and often results in a high mortality. We report a case of sustained lightning injury in which a 54-year-old woman presented with heart failure, pulmonary edema and consciousness disturbance. The patient was found unconscious, lying face down on the ground of a trash dump on the day of a thunderstorm. No deformities were seen in the extremities, but scattered third degree burns (less than 1%) were found on her neck where her necklace had been. Ventilator and inotropic agents with an adequate fluid supply were used. A Swan-Ganz catheter was inserted for monitoring. The patient was discharged two weeks later with an uneventful clinical course, except for mild neurologic sequelae (amnesia, disorientation).

Language: en