Case report
Delayed esophageal perforation following lightning strike: a case report and review of the literature
1 The Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW 2031, Sydney, Australia
2 Rockyview General Hospital, Alberta Health Services, 7007-14th Street SW, Calgary, AB, T2P 1P9, Canada
Journal of Medical Case Reports 2012, 6:244 doi:10.1186/1752-1947-6-244
Published: 20 August 2012Abstract
Introduction
Lightning is the second most common storm-related cause of death. The mortality following lightning strike is 10% to 30% and a large proportion of these people suffer cardiopulmonary arrest at the time of the strike. Much less commonly, solid organ injuries occur from either primary or secondary blunt force trauma.
Case presentation
To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report in the literature of an isolated esophageal rupture caused by lightning strike blunt force trauma.
Conclusions
Solid organ injuries are often underappreciated in lightning strikes. Blast injury to patients by lightning strikes should prompt clinicians to search for occult organ injury.
