Publication at Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Králové |
2010
Abstract
In the second part of the article describing selected wilderness medicine emergencies, the authors describe pathophysiological aspects and principles of the on-site treatment recommended for patients with lightning injuries that could be very rarely met by the emergency medical services personnel in this country. Lightning injuries are relatively uncommon worldwide and have been a subject of awe since primitive times.
The type and extent of injury depends on energy imparted to the body by the strike that may be mechanical, thermal, or electrical. Most significantly affected by lightning strikes are the cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous, and integumentary systems.