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PubMed1990

Homicide by electrocution.

Two cases of homicidal electrocutions are reported. A woman and her young son were killed in 1980 by her ex-husband. The criminal used electrical force as a method of killing. He wound flexible conducting wires around the limbs of the victims and switched on the current. He deliberately deceived his ex-wife by telling her that the circuits were incomplete and hence harmless. Thus, he persuaded her to be part of the circuits, so that a bulb could be lit when placed on her bare skin. The circumstances associated with these cases are given and the scene of the crime is described. Some important pathological aspects of electrical injuries are reviewed. The significance of pathological findings in the forensic investigations of electrocution is discussed.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Suicide by electrocution--2 case reports].

Suicides by electrocution are extremely rare in our country. In these cases, specific or characteristic external lesions caused through contact with conductors at the sites of entry and exit of the current, as well as general autopsy findings, and excluding the other possible causes of death, are important to elucidate them. Dilemma if death was suicidal, homicidal or accidental in manner, could be solved through good police investigation, and properly explained circumstantial events. Herein, we reported two cases of suicidal deaths, caused by electrocution. In the first case, it was a male, age of 32, who wrapped the electrical cord around his wrists, and killed himself by plugging it in. In second case, it was a female, age of 46, abused by her husband, who committed suicide by putting the switched hear-dryer into the water in bathtub.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Narrative review: Electrocution and life-threatening electrical injuries.

The authors reviewed the mechanisms and pathophysiology of typically encountered electrical injuries by searching English-language publications listed in MEDLINE and reference lists from identified articles. They included relevant retrospective studies, case reports, and review articles published between 1966 and 2005. The authors also searched the Internet for information related to electrocution and life-threatening electrical injuries. They found that familiarity with basic principles of physics elucidates the typical injuries sustained by patients who experience electrical shock. Death due to electrocution occurs frequently. However, patients successfully resuscitated after cardiopulmonary arrest often have a favorable prognosis. Approximately 3000 patients who survive electrical shock are admitted to specialized burn units annually. Patients with serious electrical burns admitted to the intensive care unit are trauma patients and should be treated accordingly. Initial prediction of outcome for patients who have experienced electrical shock is difficult, as the full degree of injury is often not apparent.

Electric Injuries↗
PubMed2000

Suicide by electrocution with low-voltage current.

Three cases of suicide by electrocution with low-voltage current were observed in five years (1994-1998) by medical clinical forensic examiners of an Emergency Forensic Unit of the Paris suburb among 2,000 external death examinations. The cases involved one woman, aged 72 and two men, aged 38 and 41. In the last two cases, electric burns were retrieved under bared electric wires, placed on the arms or fingers in order to realize a hand-to-hand electric circuit involving the heart muscle. In the other case, the electric circuit between mouth and foot also involved the heart muscle. Household low-voltage current delivered (220 V in France) had a sufficient strength to induce local muscular paralysis and heart fibrillation. In the three cases, blood samples taken have retrieved very high levels of muscular enzymes (CPK, LDH) correlated to the mechanism of electric death. The rareness of suicide by electrocution and its forensic characteristics are detailed in order to help the clinical forensic examiners, prosecutors, and police officers concerned by such death examinations.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Immunohistochemical study on ANP in the atria of electrocution].

By the immunohistochemical staining for ANP with LSAB method and the analysis of areas and grays of ANP with computer image analysis, it was found that the ANP granulus in right atria of electrocution were obviously depleted, compared with that in the control groups. The results showed that depletion of ANP granules in right atria could be used as a reference for the forensic diagnosis of electrocution and might benefit for the clinical therapy to the patients suffering from electric injuries.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Neurological sequelae following electrocution. A case report and review of the literature].

INTRODUCTION: Electrocution is the cause of a large number of accidents and, of these, a considerable percentage result in death. Several factors affect the severity and distribution of the injuries. It is known that for low voltages the characteristics of alternating current make it three times more dangerous than continuous current. The high percentage of neurological sequelae can be accounted for by the fact that nerves are the tissue with the lowest resistance in the body and electricity tends to follow the path that offers the least resistance. CASE REPORT: A 16-year-old male who was accidentally electrocuted by an electric guitar and later suffered a cardiorespiratory arrest; the patient required intubation. After withdrawing sedation, the patient was found to be blind in both eyes and could not remember what had happened. FLAIR MR imaging revealed oedema in both occipital lobes and, to a lesser extent, in the junction between the parietooccipital and temporooccipital lobes. Treatment with steroids was established for three days. After approximately one month, the patient had recovered his sight and the brain injuries had disappeared. CONCLUSIONS: The neurological manifestations secondary to accidents caused by electricity are usually divided into two types -immediate and delayed. Blindness has rarely been reported as a sequela in those who have survived fulguration due to a lightning strike. The patient's recovery after administering treatment with steroids and the reversibility of the oedema could lead us to think that the mechanism producing this sequela was the damage to the nervous system caused directly by the electricity, which is known as the 'phenomenon of electroporation'.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

[Heart current density as the most important biological parameter of electrocution in the bathtub].

The most important factor during electrocution in a bathtub is the amount of current flowing through a body, not the amount of voltage. A method of measurement is introduced which--under simulation of various electrical situations--provides the possibility to measure the current flowing through the heart and to determine it's direction and density in the tissue. Hereby a ranking of the different factors influencing electrocution can be set up.

Baths↗
PubMed1989

Helicopter wire strike accident and high voltage electrocution: a case report.

Helicopter wire-strike accidents usually involve high-voltage lines or telephone wires where the resulting impact is low velocity with minimal loss of occupiable space. Death and injury in these mishaps is often due to blunt force trauma to the head. In a recent wire strike accident investigated by the Division of Aerospace Pathology at The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, the circumstances suggest that death of both aviators was due to high-voltage electrocution. Evidence surrounding the case and high-voltage electrocution are discussed.

Accidents, Aviation↗
PubMed1983

Death or injury caused by electrocution.

Proper investigation of injury and death from electrocution requires a high level of suspicion, as examination of the victim will often prove negative. Careful photographic documentation of the scene must be done in every case. In low voltage cases, the equipment that may have been involved should be photographed, x-rayed, and examined electrically. Autopsy examination of the victim in cases of electrocution due to high voltage alternating or direct current usually reveals burns and the nonspecific findings of asphyxia. Victims of low voltage alternating current often have no electrical burns and the absence of findings characteristic of ventricular fibrillation. Low voltage direct current rarely produces death.

Burns, Electric↗
PubMed1984

[Electrocution of foxes; an ethically acceptable method?].

The routine practice of electrocution of foxes by the Fox final apparatus was observed. The measured current was an average 0.31 (+/- 0.01 s.d.) A, the voltage 111.2 (+/- 18.7) V and the stunning time 3.0 (+/- 0.3) seconds (n = 40). The EEG (electroencephalogram) and the ECG (electrocardiogram) were recorded in 12 foxes. The current was initially applied for 1 sec. Ten foxes showed a general epileptiform insult (= unconscious) which was interrupted by a heart fibrillation, based on the EEG and ECG traces. Two foxes showed a general epileptiform insult while the heart fibrillation was incomplete. These two foxes recovered again. After the second stunning with a duration of about 3 seconds the heart fibrillation was complete in these animals. In the EEG and ECG experiments the voltage was on average 110.0 (+/- 7.9) V, the current 0.40 (+/- 0.11) A and the stunning time 1.1 (+/- 0.3) seconds (n = 12). The observations of the method in practice and the EEG and ECG measurements suggest that electrocution of foxes by the Fox final apparatus is a quick and effective method if the current delivery is at least 3 to 4 seconds.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Usefulness of elastica-van Gieson stain for the pathomorphological diagnosis of a cutaneous electric mark--a fatal electrocution case during arc welding.

Identification of an electric mark on a body is required for a precise diagnosis of electrocution at the time of forensic autopsy. We applied Elastica-van Gieson (EVG) stain as a means of obtaining the pathomorphological diagnosis of a cutaneous electric mark in relation to a fatal electrocution case. Using EVG stain, the characteristic findings of electric marks, such as elongation of basal-cell nuclei and vacuolation of cells within the epidermis, were clearly observed, while in addition, disarrangement of elastic fibers in the connective tissues within the dermis was also demonstrated. EVG staining was considered to be useful in enabling pathomorphological observations of a cutaneous electric mark to be made.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1997

[Immunohistochemical study on myoglobin in electrocution].

We have studied the changes of myoglobin (MB) IN heart muscle cells from eight corpses died of electrocution. The changes were compared with that of the heart muscle cells died of fall. The results indicated that the immunohistochemical changes of Mb were as follows: (1) blocky separate from heart muscle cell; (2) drift away into the interval of the heart muscle. The Mb changes were small parts of an area separate from heart muscle cells in control. The authors emphasized these changes were the characteristics of oxygen deficiency of the heart by electrocution.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1986

Accidental high voltage electrocution: a rare neurosurgical problem.

The authors describe a case of accidental electrocution from a high voltage current in a young worker, who was struck by the electric shock in the mid-occipital region. The case is especially interesting due to the improbability of anyone surviving after receiving a shock of more than 1000 V., and to the development of bilateral parieto-occipital haemorrhagic infarction with spastic paraparesis, directly caused by the high voltage current and not indirectly by heat generation or secondary head trauma.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Prediction of outcome after resuscitation in a case of electrocution.

Electrical shocks commonly cause widespread acute and delayed tissue damage. Cardiac arrhythmias and respiratory arrest are the most life-threatening complications in the acute phase. Prediction of outcome after cardiopulmonary resuscitation is usually based on neurological findings compatible with anoxic encephalopathy. This report describes a case of electrocution followed by cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Although neurological signs on admission pointed towards severe brain injury, the patient fully recovered and was able to resume the level of cognitive functioning prior to the accident.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Attempted homicide by electrocution.

Attempted homicide by the application of a high-voltage, low-amperage current is reported in an elderly male. An electrician constructed an apparatus and applied the current to wet towels placed on the abdomen of the victim sleeping next door. The attempt was unsuccessful and resulted in burns only. The victim was hospitalised and died 3 weeks later. A causal connection could not be established between the attempted electrocution and the demise of the victim.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Abdominal wall and stomach perforation following accidental electrocution with high tension wire: a unique case.

The usual form of direct gastrointestinal injury following high-tension electric injury is widespread necrosis of the colon or the small intestine. It usually occurs in combination with extensive electric burns of the overlying abdominal wall. We report a case of immediate post-electrocution abdominal wall and stomach perforation following high tension electric injury. The total absence of coagulation necrosis of the stomach or other portions of the gastrointestinal tract and the absence of burns of the abdominal wall were other unique features of the case reported. The patient was successfully treated.

Abdominal Muscles↗