Immediate and progressive neurological damage after electrical injury: A pediatric case report

Background: An electrical injury can cause multiple consequences, especially to the nervous system, both peripheral and central. Such consequences may present immediately as well as later on.

Aims of the study: To report on a case of a 5-year-old boy with focal refractory status epilepticus after an electrical injury.

Methods: Clinical history, electroencephalography, neuroimaging, and laboratory data of a patient admitted to our emergency department.

Results: A 5-year-old male received an electrical shock by contact with an alternating current source after coming out of the pool. When reaching our emergency department, focal seizures was observed in the same site affected by the electrical insult, with progressive structural changes in the related brain area. In the days after, his neurological conditions dramatically evolved leading to brain death.

Conclusions: Based on our knowledge, this is the first report on refractory status epilepticus in a child after electrical injury. The possible underlying pathogenetic mechanisms are not yet clear.