A discharge of an atmospheric electrical current in the context of a storm is referred to as "lightning injury" in medicine. Its qualities include its speed, which lasts only a few milliseconds, its power, which may reach 10 million volts, and an extremely high temperature, which can reach 8,000 degrees Celsius. And it is because of these traits that we discover what we do in the people who are exposed to it. The first thing I have to inform you is that depending on the location, it can cause a variety of injuries of varied severity. It should be noted, however, that this is a relatively rare condition. I've been in the intensive care unit for over 15 years and have only seen him once. True, the incidence is higher in other places, such as the United States, where about 1,000 cases are reported each year (particularly in Florida), and there are also many cases in India. However, it is extremely rare in Europe, with only 10 or 15 persons affected each year.

When it comes to injuries, the first thing to consider is the impact. The immense power has the potential to create horrific trauma. This trauma can happen in two ways: the lightning can strike the person directly or it can strike the ground beside him, in which case the damage will happen from the bottom up since the lightning enters through the feet. Wherever that powerful impact comes from, the first thing it can do is induce polytrauma, which can lead to fractures in any of the body's bones. Burns are also a possibility. Although it may appear that we find deep and severe burns, this is not the case because, despite the tremendous temperature, the contact of the lightning with the flesh is so brief that there is no time for burns to occur. a deep (which we only see in 5 percent of patients). If there are burns, they are usually superficial.

Metallization also causes other common injuries. The beam causes any metal objects worn by the affected person to embed themselves in the skin, such as earrings, rings, bracelets, and so on. Finally, the most critical aspect is the organ damage. When struck by lightning, between 25% and 30% of victims die quickly because their hearts cease beating. It's interesting to note that, in a triage situation following a plane crash, people in cardiac arrest are not given cardiopulmonary resuscitation because you know they won't survive (the arrest is caused by serious internal traumatic injuries), but the opposite is true for someone struck by lightning. When a cardiac arrest occurs as a result of lightning, you must resuscitate the patient for a longer period of time than usual, usually 30 to 40 minutes. What has been observed is that these people are more likely to succeed, because the cardiac arrest was caused by an electrical current rather than a structural failure of the heart.

The brain can be harmed by lightning strikes. Patients who have had this happen several times end up in a coma and have memory problems that can continue for days. Paralysis is also common, although it is only transitory since it is caused by the massive spasm of the muscles in the limbs when the beam strikes the body, not by structural failure. Because this muscle spasm releases chemicals that can build up in the kidneys, renal failure is common in these patients over time.

Finally, we must not overlook the affectation of the sense organs. Eardrum rupture is fairly common, and it affects up to 80% of persons who have been struck by lightning. Furthermore, these patients must be informed that they are at high risk of developing cataracts in their eyes, even if it is not at the time of the lightning hit, but months or even years later.