Practice guidelines for the management of electrical injuries

The diagnosis and management of electrical injuries

Electrical injuries to the extremity can result in significant local tissue damage and systemic problems. An understanding of the pathophysiology of electrical injuries is critical to the medical and surgical management of patients who sustain these injuries.

Acute management of hand burns

Hand burns occur commonly either as part of more extensive burn injuries or in isolation. Optimal management requires careful examination, appropriate wound care, timely surgical excision if warranted, and aggressive range-of-motion therapy.

Thermal and electrical injuries

Through progress in wound management, resuscitation, intensive care treatment, and a coordinated rehabilitation process, modern burn care has been able to deliver substantial increases in survival and improvement in functional outcomes for burn victims. The development of regionalized burn centers has contributed greatly to this progress. As the field of burns matures, burn centers are preparing to meet future challenges through collaborative efforts in disaster management and outcomes research.