Clinical profile and outcomes of electrical burns in children (≤15 years old): A seven-year prospective study from a tertiary burn centre in northern India.

Abstract

Pediatric electrical burn injuries, though relatively uncommon, can cause severe deep tissue damage, functional loss, and disfigurement. The higher household voltage in India further increases the severity compared with many Western countries. With increasing exposure to electrical devices both inside and outside the home, these injuries carry a disproportionate burden of morbidity, especially in resource-limited settings. To evaluate the patterns, causes, clinical characteristics, management strategies, and outcomes of electrical burns in children, with a focus on differences between low voltage (LV) and high voltage (HV) injuries. A seven-year prospective study of children ≤ 15 years old with electrical burns at a tertiary burn centre in northern India compared LV and HV injuries for patterns, interventions, and outcomes. Of 46 children, 89.1 % sustained LV injuries, mainly domestic, while 10.9 % had HV injuries from outdoor exposures. HV burns affected older children (10 years vs. 4.24; p = 0.0013), with significantly larger TBSA involvement (19.50 % vs. 2.94 %; p = 0.0001), prolonged hospitalization (27 vs. 9.1 days; p = 0.0012), greater surgical burden, and ICU needs, though no mortality occurred. Electrical burns in children, though preventable, can result in significant morbidity, particularly with HV exposure. This prospective pediatric study from Kashmir highlights the predominance of LV injuries while underscoring the disproportionate severity and surgical burden of HV burns. Early recognition, prompt surgical management, and targeted prevention strategies are crucial for improving outcomes in this vulnerable population.