Study of different facets of electrocution deaths: a 5-year review

Abstract

Background: Deaths due to fatal electric injuries are quite common due to extensive use of electricity in home and industries. Hence, every single case of electrocution should be thoroughly investigated. Result: This study was conducted from 2012 to 2016 to study the manner of deaths, seasonal variations, place of occurrence, source of contact, electrical injury, survival period, autopsy findings, and histopathological findings of skin of contact. During this period, a total of 5431 autopsies were carried out. The ratio of electric burn injuries to total burns was 1:6.5 while the ratio of electric burn injuries to total unnatural death was 1:49. Out of this, 88 cases of electrocution were analysed. In this study, majority of the victims were men (86%) aged between 21 and 40 years (63.6%). In 47.7% cases, victims were electrocuted at home. All these cases (100%) were found to be accidental in manner. Most of these cases were in contact with uninsulated source of electric wire. Out of the total cases, 22.7% cases were alive and got treated in hospital before death whereas 77.2% of people were declared brought in dead condition. Histopathological examination of electric contact skin in 67.04% cases showed all features suggestive of electric injury, i.e., infiltration of inflammatory cells, streaming of nuclei, coagulative necrosis, and epithelial separation. Conclusion: Death due to electrocution is a medico-legal case which demands close attention not only to document the true cause of death of the unfortunate victim but also to detect defective condition which should be remedied in order to prevent future electrocution at the same site. Every such death is potentially avoidable, since every such injury is due to either equipment malfunction or victim error.