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 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Lightning-associated deaths--United States, 1980-1995.

A lightning strike can cause death or various injuries to one or several persons. The mechanism of injury is unique, and the manifestations differ from those of other electrical injuries. In the United States, lightning causes more deaths than do most other natural hazards (e.g., hurricanes and tornadoes), although the incidence of lightning-related deaths has decreased since the 1950s. The cases described in this report illustrate diverse circumstances in which deaths attributable to lightning can occur. This report also summarizes data from the Compressed Mortality File of CDC's National Center for Health Statistics on lightning fatalities in the United States from 1980 through 1995, when 1318 deaths were attributed to lightning.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Lightning fires in a brazilian savanna national park: rethinking management strategies.

Fire occurrences and their sources were monitored in Emas National Park, Brazil (17°49'-18°28'S; 52°39'-53°10'W) from June 1995 to May 1999. The extent of burned area and weather conditions were registered. Forty-five fires were recorded and mapped on a GIS during this study. Four fires occurred in the dry winter season (June-August; 7,942 ha burned), all caused by humans; 10 fires occurred in the seasonally transitional months (May and September) (33,386 ha burned); 31 fires occurred in the wet season, of which 30 were caused by lightning inside the park (29,326 ha burned), and one started outside the park (866 ha burned). Wet season lightning fires started in the open vegetation (wet field or grassy savanna) at a flat plateau, an area that showed significantly higher fire incidence. On average, winter fires burned larger areas and spread more quickly, compared to lightning fires, and fire suppression was necessary to extinguish them. Most lightning fires were patchy and extinguished primarily by rain. Lightning fires in the wet season, previously considered unimportant episodes, were shown to be very frequent and probably represent the natural fire pattern in the region. Lightning fires should be regarded as ecologically beneficial, as they create natural barriers to the spread of winter fires. The present fire management in the park is based on the burning of preventive firebreaks in the dry season and exclusion of any other fire. This policy does not take advantage of the beneficial effects of the natural fire regime and may in fact reduce biodiversity. The results presented here stress the need for reevaluating present policies and management procedures concerning fire in cerrado conservation areas.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1993

Cardiovascular effects of lightning strikes.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of lightning strikes on the cardiovascular system. BACKGROUND: A lightning strike can attack its victims in one of three ways: direct hit, splash or ground strike. The cardiovascular system can be affected directly by mechanical or electrical trauma during a direct hit or can be indirectly affected through effects on the total body with extensive catecholamine release or autonomic stimulation. Reported effects include hypertension, tachycardia, nonspecific electrocardiographic (ECG) changes including prolongation of the corrected QT (QTc) interval, transient T wave inversion and myocardial necrosis with creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB) fraction release. METHODS: Nineteen victims from five separate lightning strikes were studied over a 2-month period. Each patient was evaluated by serial ECG, CK-MB determinations and echocardiography. RESULTS: The early (0 to 72 h) effects of lightning were demonstrated on the ECG by ST segment elevation consistent with acute current of injury, prolonged QTc interval with direct hits and nonspecific ST and T wave changes. On echocardiography, segmental or global ventricular dysfunction was seen, and pericardial effusion was also detected. During the intermediate (3- to 14-day) period, new and often marked ECG changes consistent with pericarditis or ischemia were seen. No new echocardiographic changes were detected, however, and the early abnormalities including severe left ventricular dysfunction with cardiogenic shock have reversed. The late (1 to 12 months) period revealed only one patient with long-term sequelae (recurrent pericarditis that persisted for 5 months). CONCLUSIONS: Unless both entrance and exit sites are limited to the lower limbs, direct and splash lightning strikes cause myocardial damage as assessed by abnormal serum enzyme determinations or abnormal echocardiographic findings. Only direct hits resulted in echocardiographic abnormalities or a prolonged QTc interval. The degree of myocardial injury can be severe with left and right ventricular ejection fraction < 15% and can be reversible.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Lightning injuries.

The physical properties of lightning are given, including a description of the different observed lightning forms. The wide variety of effects of lightning on humans is reviewed. In the prehospital care of those struck by lightning, emphasis is upon immediate resuscitation of those who appear unresponsive. Recommendations for emergency department evaluation, treatment, and disposition are given. Guidelines to prevent humans from being struck by lightning are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Dramatic lightning injury with exit wound.

This is a case report of an environmental accident due to lightning where one school boy sustained current, blast, and flame effects of it. A bolt of lightning directly struck the pole of a football ground and the scatter struck the child. In addition to burn injuries, he showed an exit wound of lightning in left foot. The exit wound of lightning current is a very rare finding. The body of victim had flame and heat effect of atmospheric electricity on head and neck, face, and trunk. In this incidence of lightning other team mates of the victim were safe. The patient survived the attack.

Burns↗
PubMed2001

The long-term consequences of lightning injuries.

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.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

The fragmented science of ball lightning (with comment).

All the apparent anomalies in ball lightning behaviour seem to result from electrochemical processes which arise at the surface of a wet air plasma. The structure and stability of an established lightning ball are maintained by these processes and the ball operates as a thermochemical heat pump powered by the electric field of a thunderstorm. Movements result from asymmetries in the various fields which control the structure. In addition to electric, electromagnetic and gravitational fields, temperature, pressure and compositional gradients can be involved. Electrochemistry provides a framework within which specific properties can be considered using better developed or more appropriate disciplines. Several commonly made assumptions and approximations are identified which can be invalid under the specific conditions which favour ball lightning stability. If any of these limitations is ignored, seriously misleading conclusions may result. The range of power associated with lightning balls is ill defined but may vary continuously between that of globes which lack a bright centre and that of normal lightning. Our failure to contain plasmas electrochemically for more than a few seconds probably reflects our inability to balance (or even measure) the various fields which govern a ball's stability. All the fields may need to be controlled before electrochemistry can usefully be employed to contain plasmas.

Electrochemistry↗
PubMed2004

Isolation of lightning-competent soil bacteria.

Artificial transformation is typically performed in the laboratory by using either a chemical (CaCl(2)) or an electrical (electroporation) method. However, laboratory-scale lightning has been shown recently to electrotransform Escherichia coli strain DH10B in soil. In this paper, we report on the isolation of two "lightning-competent" soil bacteria after direct electroporation of the Nycodenz bacterial ring extracted from prairie soil in the presence of the pBHCRec plasmid (Tc(r), Sp(r), Sm(r)). The electrotransformability of the isolated bacteria was measured both in vitro (by electroporation cuvette) and in situ (by lightning in soil microcosm) and then compared to those of E. coli DH10B and Pseudomonas fluorescens C7R12. The electrotransformation frequencies measured reached 10(-3) to 10(-4) by electroporation and 10(-4) to 10(-5) by simulated lightning, while no transformation was observed in the absence of electrical current. Two of the isolated lightning-competent soil bacteria were identified as Pseudomonas sp. strains.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1998

Lightning stroke and neuropsychological impairment: cases and questions.

OBJECTIVE: To objectify neuropsychological impairments in survivors of lightning stroke with lasting complaints about poor concentration and inability to divide their attention. DESIGN: A series of six cases of lightning stroke were studied. All patients had lost consciousness and reported amnesia of varying length. Assessment took place between one and four years after injury, ensuring that their neurological state had stabilised. They were tested with a neuropsychological battery with an emphasis on attention and memory. Personality and emotional reaction to the accident were assessed with questionnaires and a lightning fear scale. Complaints were recorded by means of a trauma complaints list including 10 questions on symptoms of the post-traumatic stress disorder. RESULTS: Patients reported fatigue and lack of energy as their main complaints. In addition, poor concentration, irritability, and emotional lability were mentioned often. Neuropsychological tests disclosed mild impairments in memory, attention, and visual reaction times. Two patients could be classified as depressed, and one of these also showed convincing signs of the post-traumatic stress disorder. CONCLUSION: As the lasting complaints and impairments could not be explained, for all six cases, as resulting from head injury concomitant with lightning stroke, cerebral hypoxia or a post-traumatic stress syndrome, it is concluded that lightning stroke can result in subtle cognitive impairments. It is speculated that most complaints of these survivors are caused by a vegetative dysregulation, a disorder that has often been noted in the literature on the effects of electrical injury to the nervous system. Such a dysregulation might cause both the main complaint of fatigue and the mild cognitive impairments identified with the present test battery.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Bilateral cataract following lightning injury.

PURPOSE: To report a case of bilateral cataract with posterior vitreous detachment induced by lightning injury. METHODS: A case report of 30 year old man injured by lightning. RESULTS: The patient developed visually significant bilateral cataract after four years of the initial insult on the scalp. The exit wound was noted on the right foot. Fundus evaluation after cataract extraction revealed posterior vitreous detachment. CONCLUSIONS: Lightning can induce various ocular complications. Decrease in vision due to cataract is usually seen years after the initial lightning injury as the initial changes are in the mid-periphery and often missed in the acute setting. Posterior vitreous detachment induced by lightning can rarely lead to retinal tear formation and subsequently retinal detachment. The severity of entry and exit may not give a true picture of the internal organ damage.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Lightning injury as a blast injury of skull, brain, and visceral lesions: clinical and experimental evidences.

The present study attempts to better understand the mechanism of injuries associated with direct lightning strikes. We reviewed the records of 256 individuals struck by lightning between 1965 and 1999, including 56 people who were killed. Basal skull fracture, intracranial haemorrhage, pulmonary haemorrhage, or solid organ rupture was suspected in three men who died. Generally these lesions have been attributed to current flow or falling after being struck. However, examination of surface injuries sustained suggested that the true cause was concussion secondary to blast injury resulting from vaporization of water on the body surface by a surface flashover spark. To investigate this hypothesis, an experimental model of a lightning strike was created in the rat. Saline-soaked blotting paper was used to simulate wet clothing or skin, and an artificial lightning impulse was applied. The resultant lesions were consistent with our hypothesis that the blast was reinforced by the concussive effect of water vaporization. The concordance between the clinical and experimental evidence argues strongly for blast injury as an important source of morbidity and mortality in lightning strikes.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

[Lightning injuries--a mixture of electrical, thermal and multiple trauma].

There are several misconceptions even among hospital personnel regarding damages and injuries caused by lightning. Few health care providers have experience from lightning injuries as they are rare and different (DC) from the more common high-voltage (AC) injuries. Furthermore, fatalities are uncommon. Burns do occur but are usually minor. Most lightning injuries occur in the summer season during outdoor leisure activities and in the vicinity of a tree or other large structures. In Sweden, on average, approximately seventeen persons per year are hospitalised and 0.2-0.8 persons per million inhabitants and year die due to lightning injuries. The primary treatment follows the general guidelines for other trauma, electrical, and burn injuries, i.e. as is described in the standardised ATLS, ABLS, or A-HLR programmes. However, there are some minor points that are different and may be stressed for a favourable outcome. In this paper these are addressed together with the epidemiology, effects and treatment of lightning injuries that are specific for Sweden. Unfortunately, little is known, apart from what is described in smaller case series, of the long time sequelae experienced by this patient population and further research is therefore particularly warranted in this respect.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Intracranial haemorrhage secondary to a lightning strike: a case report].

INTRODUCTION: The damage caused to the central nervous system by lightning can be immediate or delayed. Cerebrovascular accidents are usually an infrequent complication of lightning strikes. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a patient who was hit by lightning and then developed an acute bilateral intraparenchymatous haemorrhage in the basal ganglia and the left internal capsule. DISCUSSION: Few cases of intracranial haemorrhages secondary to lightning strikes have been reported. We carry out a review and analysis of the literature currently available on the subject. A number of theories have been put forward that attempt to explain the mechanism behind these haemorrhages in patients who have been hit by lightning. The reason why there is a predilection for the basal ganglia is unknown, although it could be linked to the particular features of the vascularisation of the area.

Basal Ganglia↗
PubMed2005

Spectrum of neurologic complications of lightning injuries.

Lightning is responsible for a wide spectrum of neurologic complications. Many of the persistent symptoms require long-term neurorehabilitation. The lightning-related neurologic conditions are divided into four categories. Category I consists of signs and symptoms that are temporary and usually benign. Category II conditions are prolonged or permanent produced by significant central nervous system lesions. Two of the most devastating complications are lightning-related encephalopathy and myelopathy. The disabilities that accompany these lesions call for concentrated neurorehabilitation. A large number of patients are afflicted with neurobehavioral symptoms that may last for months or years. Category III contains delayed neurologic syndromes. Category IV encompasses neurologic lesions that are not directly activated by the lightning strike but are the result of trauma secondary to falls or blasts effects. The sensible course for individuals at risk is to learn and follow lightning safety recommendations.

Humans↗
PubMed1990

[Lightning injuries in high mountain areas. Report of 29 cases].

Lightning, usually scarce, is a frequent phenomenon in high mountains. Due to our location at the foot of the Mont-Blanc, we have been able to examine twenty nine cases of people struck by lightning in the Chamonix Hospital. Lightning that has interested people since old times is the result of complex meteorological phenomenons, able to deliver a huge instant power. Several types of lightning have been described. They give different sorts of injuries; the most frequent affect the brain, the heart and the skin. The analysis of the results of seventeen victims admitted at the hospital does not allow to conclude to a clinical and biological specificity of the lightning stricken in high mountains. It makes it however possible to determine precisely the clinical disorders and the features of the injured and to emphasize the part due to the high mountains and consider the non specific therapeutic to set to work as soon as possible.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Prevention and treatment of lightning injuries.

Lightning ranks first among natural disasters in terms of fatalities and property damage each year. If fortunate enough to survive, the victim of a lightning or electrical accident often presents with numerous complicated clinical manifestations. The astute nurse practitioner will be challenged to identify the immediate signs and symptoms of possible system disruption, and to institute the follow-up management necessary to prevent further complications. This article explores the nurse practitioner's role in the physical assessment of the client and the protocol for management and follow-up care. Case studies are presented to illustrate the various multisystem findings of clients struck either directly or indirectly by lightning. Environmental precautions to decrease the likelihood of lightning's harmful effects are also discussed. It is easier to prevent a lightning and/or electrical accident than to treat the victim.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Air traffic controller lightning strike.

Andersen Air Force Base in Guam boasts the tallest control tower in the Air Force. In 1986, an air traffic controller was struck by lightning as the bolt proceeded through the tower. Although he received only a backache, the lightning left a hole with surrounding scorch marks on his fatigue shirt and his undershirt. The lightning strike also ignited a portion of the field lighting panel, which caused the runway lights to go out immediately. Lack of a lightning rod is the most likely reason the controller was struck. Proper precautions against lightning strikes can prevent such occupational safety hazards.

Aviation↗
PubMed2005

Lightning-induced intensification of the ionospheric sporadic E layer.

A connection between thunderstorms and the ionosphere has been hypothesized since the mid-1920s. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this connection, and evidence from modelling as well as various types of measurements demonstrate that lightning can interact with the lower ionosphere. It has been proposed, on the basis of a few observed events, that the ionospheric 'sporadic E' layer--transient, localized patches of relatively high electron density in the mid-ionosphere E layer, which significantly affect radio-wave propagation--can be modulated by thunderstorms, but a more formal statistical analysis is still needed. Here we identify a statistically significant intensification and descent in altitude of the mid-latitude sporadic E layer directly above thunderstorms. Because no ionospheric response to low-pressure systems without lightning is detected, we conclude that this localized intensification of the sporadic E layer can be attributed to lightning. We suggest that the co-location of lightning and ionospheric enhancement can be explained by either vertically propagating gravity waves that transfer energy from the site of lightning into the ionosphere, or vertical electrical discharge, or by a combination of these two mechanisms.

Journal Article↗