Muehlberger T, Vogt P M, Munster A M
Department of Plastic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Hannover, Krankenhaus Oststadt, Podbielskistrasse 380, 30659, Hannover, Germany.
Burns. 2001 Dec;27(8):829-33. doi: 10.1016/s0305-4179(01)00029-8.
The risk of being struck by lightning is extremely low. Although dying instantly through lightning-induced cardiac arrest is a well-documented cause of death, the majority of cases reported in the literature describe infrequently occurring and enormously disparate sequelae of this injury. A total number of 12 patients were treated in our burn intensive care unit following a lightning accident within a period of 12 years. We have analysed the incidence of cardiac, muscular and sensory disturbances, keraunographic skin markings and significant laboratory results, as well as episodes of audiovisual dysfunction and amnesia at the time of the initial admission. In order to determine possible long-term complications, ten of these 12 patients were evaluated at an average time of 6.7 years following the injury (range, 1 month-12.3 years). Considering specific findings during their hospital stay (average length, 1.58+/-0.23 days), patients were assessed for residual neurologic, ocular, oto-vestibular or psychological deficits. The outcome showed that none of the patients suffered from any deficits or long-term problems that could be related to the original lightning injury. Based on these findings and a literature review, we believe that the overall outcome of lightning injuries is more favourable than generally reported.
遭受雷击的风险极低。虽然因雷击导致心脏骤停而立即死亡是一种有充分文献记载的死因，但文献中报道的大多数病例描述的是这种损伤很少发生且差异极大的后遗症。在12年的时间里，我们烧伤重症监护病房共收治了12例雷击事故患者。我们分析了心脏、肌肉和感觉障碍的发生率、雷击皮肤痕迹和重要的实验室检查结果，以及初次入院时的视听功能障碍和失忆发作情况。为了确定可能的长期并发症，对这12例患者中的10例在受伤后平均6.7年（范围为1个月至12.3年）进行了评估。根据他们住院期间的具体表现（平均住院时间为1.58±0.23天），对患者的神经、眼部、耳前庭或心理方面的残余缺陷进行了评估。结果显示，没有患者出现任何与最初雷击损伤相关的缺陷或长期问题。基于这些发现以及文献综述，我们认为雷击损伤的总体预后比一般报道的更为乐观。
