Introduction: Electrical burns are a less prevalent type of burn injury. However, some acute and chronic complications only occur in this type of burn due to its underlying mechanisms that lead to tissue injury. This study aimed to describe epidemiological patterns of electrical burns in the north of Iran to improve the prevention and management of burns in the area.
Method: All medical records of patients who were admitted to Velayat Burn Center, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran, due to electrical burn injuries between March 2010 and March 2020 were studied retrospectively.
Results: A total of 271 patients were included in this study. Occupational accidents (59.78%) were markedly more common than non-occupational injuries (40.22%). High voltage was responsible for 44.6% of the burns. Among the clinical outcomes studied, wound infection and the need for blood transfusion were the most frequent complications, with recorded rates of 17% and 18.5%, respectively. Regarding surgical procedures, limb amputations were performed in 8.1% of patients, 9.6% of cases required a flap, and 56.1% required a skin graft. The rate of transplant rejection was 2.2%.
Conclusion: The higher incidence of occupational electrical burns in men of working age with non-academic education and the significant correlation between high voltage and worse clinical outcomes in this type of injury, compared to other types of burn injuries, indicate the need for employers to raise safety awareness in this area.