Electrical Burns
Electrical burns cause additional complications. Cardiac arrhythmia, including ventricular fibrillation, can occur at the time and site of the injury, as can myocardial damage. Tissues that are most resistant to electric current, such as bone, sustain the greatest heat injury, and soft tissue next to the bone frequently is damaged. Myoglobinuria, renal failure, and neurologic damage, including Guillain-Barre syndrome, transverse myelitis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, paresis, and paralysis, can develop up to 2 years following an electrical burn. Eye injuries complicate 5% to 20% of electrical burns; cataracts are the most common complications.