Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “LIGHTNING”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Delayed myelopathy following lightning strike: a demyelinating process.

Although the clinical findings in over 30 cases of delayed myelopathy after electrical injury have been described, there are scanty reports of the pathology of the spinal cord in such cases. We report a case in which progressive myelopathy presented 1 month after electrical injury by lightning strike and death occurred 4 months after injury. The spinal cord showed widespread demyelination of white matter from the medulla to just above the conus medullaris. This consisted of selective degeneration of myelin sheaths without inflammation or injury to axons, other cord components, or nerve roots. Infarction of more circumscribed segments of the thoracic cord where demyelination was greatest was probably due to edema associated with myelin degeneration, causing cord swelling limited by the pia mater. Raised pressure within the cord then resulted in secondary infarction.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Rates of fixation by lightning of carbon and nitrogen in possible primitive atmospheres.

A thermochemical-hydrodynamic model of the production of trace species by electrical discharges has been used to estimate the rates of fixation of C and N by lightning in the primitive atmosphere. Calculations for various possible mixtures of CH4, CO2, CO, N2, H2, and H2O reveal that the prime species produced were probably HCN and NO and that the key parameter determining the rates of fixation was the ratio of C atoms to O atoms in the atmosphere. Atmospheres with C more abundant than O have large HCN fixation rates, in excess of 10(17) molecules J-1, but small NO yields. However, when O is more abundant than C, the NO fixation rate approaches 10(17) molecules J-1 while the HCN yield is small. The implications for the evolution of life are discussed.

Atmosphere↗
PubMed1993

Unilateral perihilar opacification caused by lightning.

The chest radiographs of two children struck by lightning showed right perihilar opacification. The radiographs were taken 2 h and 5 h after the event respectively. To our knowledge no similar cases have been reported.

Child↗
PubMed2005

[Emergency treatment of injuries following lightning and electrical accidents].

The pattern of injuries following electrical accidents and the treatment by emergency teams differ depending on whether exposure was to a low-voltage or high-voltage power source or to a lightning bolt. Tissue damage results from the direct effect of current on cell membranes and from conversion of electrical energy into heat. Depending on the magnitude of electrical energy and the duration of exposure, cardiac dysrhythmia, damage to nerve tissue, extensive burns and shock may occur. Multi-system injury is frequently observed, either directly related to electrical shock or secondary to concurrent trauma. Extrication of victims from the energy field must be performed under strict observance of self-protection measures for the rescuers. In high-voltage incidents the rescuers must wait at a distance until the power supply has been turned off and demonstrably grounded. Analgesia, anxiolysis and administration of crystalloid fluids are needed, especially for injuries from high-voltage power sources. Severe burns of the face and neck call for early intubation and ventilation. Monitoring is performed with pulsoximetry, blood pressure measurement and ECG, giving highest priority to the unconscious patient with cardiac and respiratory arrest. Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) follows the international guidelines for resuscitation and may be effective after delayed onset and even after prolonged resuscitation attempts.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation↗
PubMed1997

Myocardial injury due to lightning.

The report deals with a 27-year-old male who was standing in a tent and was injured by lightning as it struck a tree about 1.5 m away. He immediately lost consciousness and exhibited ventricular fibrillation when the emergency physician arrived. A clinical picture of hypoxaemic brain damage emerged after initially successful resuscitation. Brain death was diagnosed on the fifth day after injury. The discrete external findings (remaining arborescent skin marks) contrasted markedly with the severe thermal damage to the pectoral muscle and cardiac musculature found during the autopsy. The histological cardiac findings indicated severe acute myocardial infarction affecting virtually all parts of the myocardium.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Was Saint Paul struck blind and converted by lightning?

In the Bible, St. Paul (Saul of Tarsus) was struck blind by a light from heaven. Three days later his vision was restored by a "laying on of hands." The circumstances surrounding his blindness represent an important episode in the history of religion. Numerous theories have been proposed to account for this event which has been the subject of interest of theologians, philosophers, artists, and physicians. A lightning strike could explain all of the features of this episode. The proposal of a theory which correlates St. Paul's symptoms with contemporary scientific knowledge makes his recovery of vision and conversion no less miraculous or religiously significant since the theory demonstrates that, indeed, the event may have occurred exactly as stated in the Bible.

Asia, Western↗
PubMed1996

Acoustic trauma caused by lightning.

Lesions produced by exposure to noise are frequent in everyday life. Injuries may be found in all systems of the human body, from the digestive to the endocrine, from the cardiovascular to the nervous system. Many organs may be damaged, the ear being one of them. It is known that noise produced by factories, airports, musical instruments and even toys can cause auditory loss. Noises in nature can also cause acoustic trauma. This report is the case history of acoustic trauma caused by lightning. The patient was studied with CAT scan, electroencephalogram, and brain mapping, impedance audiometry with tympanogram and acoustic reflex, audiometry and evoked otoacoustics emissions: distortion products and transients.

Acoustic Impedance Tests↗
PubMed2004

Plant cytoplasm preserved by lightning.

Usually only an organism with hard parts may be preserved in the fossil record. Cytoplasm, which is a physiologically active part of a plant, is rarely seen in the fossil record. Two Cretaceous plant fossils older than 100 million years with exceptional preservation of cytoplasm are reported here. Some cytoplasm is well preserved with subcellular details while other cytoplasm is highly hydrolyzed in the cortex of the same fossil even though both of preservations may be less than 2 microm away. The unique preservation pattern, sharp contrast of preservation in adjacent cells and the exceptional preservation of cytoplasm in the cortex suggest that lightning should play an important role in the preservation of cytoplasm and that cytoplasmic membranes may be more stable than the cell contents. Interpreting the preservation needs knowledge scattering in several formerly unrelated fields of science, including geophysics, botany, biophysics, cytology and microwave fixation technology. This new interpretation of fossilization will shed new light on preservation of cytoplasm and promote cytoplasm fossils from a position of rarity to a position of common research objects available for biological research. The importance of the identification of cytoplasm in fossil lies not in itself but in how much it influences the future research in paleobotany.

Cytoplasm↗
PubMed1986

Cardiopulmonary arrest secondary to lightning injury in a pregnant woman.

A young woman who was seven months pregnant was struck by lightning, resulting in cardiopulmonary arrest. Bystander CPR was begun at the scene. Vital signs were restored by the time the rescue squad arrived. The patient was comatose on arrival in the emergency department and fetal death was apparent. The patient's neurological status improved markedly, with a small residual motor deficit.

Adult↗
PubMed1980

Otologic lightning bolts.

Lightning induced damage to the ear is multifaceted. The seventh and eighth cranial nerves, the labyrinthine system, and the tympanic membrane are most commonly injured. A case report demonstrating all these injuries is presented.

Ataxia↗
PubMed2001

Experimental simulation of early Martian volcanic lightning.

A mixture of possible Martian volcanic gases were reproduced and irradiated by a high-energy infrared laser to reproduce the effects of lightning on the production of prebiotic molecules. The analysis of products were performed by a gas chromatograph interfaced in parallel with a FTIR-detector and a quadrupole mass spectrometer equipped with an electron impact and chemical ionization modes. The main products identified were hydrocarbons and an uncharacterized yellow film deposit. Preliminary results indicate the presence of hydrogen cyanide among the resultant compounds.

Evolution, Chemical↗
PubMed2000

Electric injury, part III: cardiac monitoring indications, the pregnant patient, and lightning.

A number of publications have presented recommendations for prolonged cardiac monitoring after electric injury. These recommendations are combined in this article to make criteria for monitoring that agree with the recommendations of most studies. It is generally agreed that cardiac monitoring is not needed unless there is an abnormal electrocardiogram or other suggestion of acute problems. Electric injury in pregnancy is also discussed, with recommendations for fetal monitoring after electric and mechanical trauma. Reports of fetal death after minor electric injury to the mother are described. Finally, selected aspects of lightning injury are described, including neurologic and vascular effects. This is the final article of a 3-part series on electric injury.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Electrical and lightning injuries.

Electricity and lightning can cause injury in a variety of ways, some of which may remain hidden from the unsuspecting physician until it is too late. Prompt and, if necessary, prolonged resuscitation are of proven benefit. Particular attention must be paid to the patient who suffers high-voltage injury, and deep electrothermal burns on damage to vital organs should be excluded. Uncommonly late sequelae are seen, and such patients require appropriate care.

Burns, Electric↗
PubMed1986

Lightning causing inner ear damage and intracranial haematoma.

Lightning can transmit energy by way of the telephone network to the middle and the inner ear and thus cause pronounced injuries. In the patient mentioned here, the middle ear remained intact, while the inner ear was the seat of widespread damage combined with vascular rupture, the latter causing the formation of an intracranial haematoma. This was originally interpreted wrongly as a neoplasm.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Neurorehabilitation of lightning and electrical injuries.

Lightning and electrical (L/E) injuries can be among the most dramatic of all events that damage the nervous system. The three major classes of neurologic sequelae that require the expertise of the neurorehabilitationist are: (1) cerebral disorders, either global or focal; (2) neuropsychologic sequelae; and (3) spinal cord injury. Neurorehabilitation management necessary for each of these three areas will be discussed. From the viewpoint of the neurorehabilitationist, therapy principles are the same for L/E trauma as for other more common forms of injury. The goal is to maximize the functional return given the specific impairment.

Brain Injuries↗
PubMed1999

Lightning: the multisystem group injuries.

In this article, we present our experience of group lightning injury. Individual injuries are most common after single strikes. The largest group previously reported was 10 patients. In our series, 17 victims were hit by a single strike; 11 were admitted to the hospital and 6 were discharged from the accident and emergency department. Although injured under the same circumstances, these patients presented with a wide range of symptoms and signs. We also describe a characteristic burn pattern, the "tip-toe sign."

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Bilateral macular cyst after lightning visualized with optical coherence tomography.

The authors report a 14-year-old girl who was struck by lightning with bilateral macular cyst that was diagnosed with optical coherence tomography (OCT). Her fundus examination revealed bilateral macular lesions that simulated macular holes. The Watzke-Allen sign was negative in the right eye and positive in the left eye. Fluorescein angiography showed a foveal window defect in both eyes. OCT demonstrated a small foveal cyst evident as a hyporeflective lucency, visible just anterior to the retinal pigment epithelium/choriocapillaris complex in both eyes. OCT seems to be useful in the evaluation of lighting maculopathy to rule-out full-thickness macular hole in these cases, and avoid unnecessary surgery.

Adolescent↗