Electrical Trauma: The Pathophysiology, Manifestations and Clinical Management

This is the first comprehensive treatise to be published on the subject of electrical trauma in humans. Several of the world's leading experts describe the basic mechanisms of tissue injury in victims of electrical trauma, the complex and varied manifestations of electrical trauma, and state-of-the-art clinical treatment protocols. Coverage of the topic is broad, ranging from mathematical models of molecular processes to intra-operative clinical care. Promising new therapies still in the research stage are also discussed and assessed. The volume describes the basic physiochemical mechanisms responsible for tissue damage and explains the complex and variable ways in which electrical trauma manifests itself. Electrical Trauma serves as a new and important source of information from a variety of perspectives that contribute to the understanding of the electrical injury problem and development of rational therapy. It is suitable for clinicians in trauma surgery, emergency medicine, plastic surgery, intensive care and burns units and for those with an academic and research interest in the mechanisms and causes of electrical trauma.

Table of Contents:
Contributors; Preface; Acknowledgements; Part I. Introduction: 1. Electrical burns: a historical review T. Bernstein; 2. Industrial electrical accidents and their complications observed by Electricité de France J. Cabanes; 3. The pathophysiology and clinical management of electrical injury R. C. Lee; Part II. Clinical Manifestations and Management: 4. Soft tissue patterns in acute electric burns J. L. Hunt; 5. The spectrum of electrical injuries E. A. Luce; 6. Electrical trauma: pathophysiology and clinical management R. H. Demling; 7. Acute and delayed neurological sequelae of electrical injury B. J. Grube and D. M. Heimbach; 8. Paediatric electrical burns C. F. Keusch, G. H. Gifford and E. Eriksson; 9. Surgical technique for salvage of electrically damaged tissue L. J. Gottlieb, J. Saunders and T. J. Krizek; Part III. Tissue Responses: 10. The role of arachidonic acid metabolism in the pathogenesis of electrical trauma M. C. Robson; P. G. Hayward and J. P. Heggers; 11. Thermal damage: mechanisms, patterns and detection in electrical burns P. Héroux; 12. Evaluation of electrical burn injury using an electrical impedance technique M. Chilbert; 13. Impedance spectroscopy: the measurement of electrical impedance of biological materials R. Schmukler; 14. Analysis of heat injury to the upper extremity of electric shock victims: a theoretical model B. I. Tropea and R. C. Lee; Part IV: Biophysical Mechanisms of Cellular Injury: 15. Response of cells to supra-physiological temperatures: experimental measurements and kinetic models E. G. Cravalho, M. Toner, D. C. Gaylor and R. C. Lee; 16. Cell membrane rupture by strong electric fields: prompt and delayed processes J. C. Weaver; 17. An anisotropic, elastomechanical instability theory for electropermeabilisation of bilayer-lipid membranes C. Maldarelli and K. Stebe; 18. Electrical injury to heart muscle cells L. Tung; 19. Skeletal muscle cell membrane electrical breakdown in electrical trauma D. C. Gaylor, D. L. Bhatt and R. C. Lee; 20. Theory of non-linear conduction in cell membranes under strong electric fields R. C. Lee and K. Prakah-Asante; Index.

Review :
"...the book fills a void and can be consulted with benefit by both clinicians and laboratory scientists." William W. Monafo, Archives of Surgery "...a valuable library reference book for both clinical practitioners and basic scientists interested in electrical trauma." Walter Peters, Journal of Critical Care "...one of the first comprehensive books on the subject...a good source of information on electrical trauma and would provide excellent background reading for the interested pharmacist practicing in the emergency medicine or critical care area where electrical trauma patients receive care." Edward Sypniewski Jr., American Journal of Hospital Pharmacy