Electrical shock injuries: an analysis of voltage, frequency, and contact mode determinants

This article examines the precision of medical terminology commonly used to diagnose and understand the pathogenesis of electrical shock injuries. As everyday technology increasingly depends on advanced electrical mechanisms that utilize more efficient modes of electrical energy transmission, waveforms, and frequencies, emergency and trauma physicians will continue to encounter a broader array of electrical injury manifestations. This phenomenon prompts a closer examination of the diagnostic terminology associated with electrical shocks. The pathogenesis of electrical injury depends on the tissue electric field strength, frequency, current duration, and tissues involved. Some traditional diagnostic terms, for example, “ entry” and “ exit” wounds, arc-flash burns , and “ high-voltage” and “ low-voltage” electrical injuries , obscure the complexity of this pathogenesis, likely impeding medical management and advances in electrical safety science. This article presents the scientific rationale for suggested changes to medical terminology and aims to encourage future refinement.