Electrocution as a Cause of Death

Abstract

Death is one of the serious complications of electrical injuries. By one year field study from the 1st of May 2014 to the 1st of May 2015 at Babil governorate, we did try to study the pattern of electrical injuries seeking factors affecting mortality rate and trying to lower it as possible as we can. The study was dependent on the medical records of Al-Hilla teaching hospitals, and the autopsy were accomplished at the Department of Forensic Medicine of Babil health directorate. Electrical injuries of severe type were studied according to the voltage, injury time, accompanied trauma and Its relation to the occupation, age, sex, medical interference,the direct cause of death, the time of injury is it day or night, if there is consumption of alcohol and drugs. The total number of hospitalized and none hospitalized victims were 41. Male to female ratio is 2/1, 24.4% of victims were below 12 years, 4.87% of the accidents occurred at work place, 48.78% of the injuries at the upper extremities, low voltage caused 95.12% of the injuries, 92.68% of electrical accidents occurred in summer, with 73.17% at day time. Three victims only survived the injury. The direct causes of death were cardiopulmonary arrest following the electrical injury with no trauma attributed to death. Mortality rate was 92.68%, which is incredibly high. Conscious and safe use of electricity by society is preventable measures.The quick transfer to hospital is lifesaving, medical staff should be aware that any electrically injured victims usually appeared dead and resuscitation  may bring them alive.