1Assistant Professor, Dept of FMT, LTMMC & GH, Sion, Mumbai
2Associate Professor, Dept of FMT, LTMMC & GH, Sion, Mumbai
3Junior Resident, Dept of FMT, LTMMC & GH, Sion, Mumbai
4Professor, Dept of FMT, LTMMC & GH, Sion, Mumbai
*Corresponding author: Dr H G Kukde Associate Professor, Dept of FMT, LTMMC & GH, Sion, Mumbai.
Online published on 16 August, 2018.
Average fatalities due to electrocution in India have remained more or less the same over the years. These deaths are of concern mainly because they are occurring due to contact with low voltage current which is employed at home.
The study was conducted retrospectively between January 2014 to December 2016 at a tertiary health care centre in Mumbai and 87 deaths out of total 7432 autopsies were attributed to Electrocution in this period.
Fatalities were seen mostly in males (92%) with the majority (63%) falling in the working age group of 21–50 years. All the cases were accidental and majority of victims got electrocuted at home (57.47%) with commonest causative agent being home appliances (36.78%) & open wires (24.13%). Skilled or unskilled labourers were commonly involved in electrocution (50.56%) and the fatalities were mostly seen in uneducated and in those who studied below matriculation (81.6%). Electrical marks were seen in 70% cases with the mark mostly present on the upper limbs. In 16.09% victims sustained flash burns and no injury was seen in 13.79% cases.
Majority of deaths due to electrocution is preventable by simply educating people regarding handling of electric appliances and the hazards associated with its ill use. For autopsy surgeons, postmortem findings along with circumstantial evidence are important not only to arrive at a diagnosis but also to study the factors responsible in such fatalities.
Fatal, electrocution, current, accidental, entry wound, exit wound
