Citation

Wetli CV. Am. J. Forensic Med. Pathol. 1996; 17(2): 89-98.

Affiliation

Metro-Dade County Medical Examiner Department, Miami, Florida, USA.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

8727280

Abstract

An analysis of 45 victims of fatal lighting strike revealed the incident occurred most frequently in the early afternoon during midsummer in a field of one form or another. The scene of death, damage to clothing, and alterations of metallic objects on the victim are described. A terminal cardiac rhythm of ventricular fibrilation was recorded in half for whom data were available, and asystole was found in 40%. All but four had cutaneous injuries, and nearly one-third had pathognomonic patterns of erythematous arborization. When examined, tympanic membranes were found to be ruptured in > 80%. This study also revealed that craniocerebral injury and cardiac contusion can be serious direct consequences of lightning strike. A correlative approach to the investigation and autopsy of lightning victims is suggested.

Language: en