Bilateral maculopathy following electrical burn: case report

• Published in: São Paulo medical journal 2014-12, Vol.132 (6), p.372-376
• Main Authors: Faustino, Leandro Dario, Oliveira, Ramon Antunes, Oliveira, Andrea Fernandes, Rodrigues, Eduardo Büchelle, Moraes, Nilva Simeren Diego, Ferreira, Lydia Masako
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Burns; Burns, electric; Burns, Electric - complications; Burns, Electric - therapy; Case Report; Electric Injuries - complications; Electric Injuries - therapy; Eye burns; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; MEDICINE, GENERAL & INTERNAL; Retina; Retinal detachment; Retinal Detachment - complications; Retinal Diseases - complications; Retinal Diseases - diagnosis; Retinal Diseases - surgery; Tomography, Optical Coherence; Treatment Outcome; Visual Acuity
• ISSN: 1516-3180; 1806-9460; 1806-9460; 1516-3180
• DOI: 10.1590/1516-3180-2014-1326643

Electrical burns are an important etiology in dealing with patients suffering from burns. In situations of extensive deep lesions of multiple organs and systems affecting young and economically active people, there is a need for expensive multidisciplinary treatment, with a high socioeconomic cost for the community. Among the permanent injuries that explain this high cost, eye injuries stand out, since they are widely disabling. Although rare, lesions of the posterior segment of the eye are associated with higher incidence of major sequelae, and thus deserve special attention for dissemination and discussion of the few cases observed. The authors report the case of a patient who suffered high-voltage electrical burns and presented bilateral maculopathy, which evolved with a need for a surgical approach to repair retinal detachment and permanent low visual acuity. This report highlights the rarity of the etiology of maculopathy and the need for campaigns for prevention not only of burns in general, but also especially of electrical burns.