a compiled one

1. 1 5 - A R I D - 4 4 4 5
D V M 5 T H E V E
DEATH DUE TO
ELECTRICITY

2. DEATH:
Death is the cessation of all biological functions that
sustain a living organism.
Three modes of death
• Syncope
• Asphyxia
• coma

3. ELECTROCUTION:
• Death due to electricity is called electrocution. It may be due
to
• Low voltage (<1000 volts)
• Very small currents may be imperceptible or produce a light
tingling sensation.
• High voltage (>1000 volts)
• Stronger currents may cause some degree of discomfort or
pain.
• Lightening (up to 100000000 volts)
• More intense currents may induce involuntary muscle
contractions, preventing the victim from breaking free of the
source of electricity

4. MECHANISM:
• Death results due to
• Direct effect of current on the heart, causing ventricular
fibrillation.
• Direct effect of current on the respiratory muscles
causing respiratory paralysis.
• Effect of current on the brainstem respiratory centers.
• Death may also be caused by
• Thermal effect of current
• Trauma caused by current

5. CONTINUE…
• Drowning associated with exposure to current
• Multi-organ failure due to current

6. FACTORS AFFECTING:
• Amount of current
• Alternating current more dangerous than direct current,
more likely to cause cardiac arrhythmias.
• Potential difference
• Greater the potential difference greater is current
amount.
• Duration of current
• More duration more harming.
• Route of current
• Passage of current through brain or heart is more lethal

7. LESIONS:
• Burns:
• Heating due to resistance can cause extensive and
deep burns. Voltage levels of 500 to 1000 volts tend to
cause internal burns due to the large energy available
from the source. Damage due to current is through
tissue heating.

8. VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION:
• A domestic power supply alternating current (AC)
through the chest for a fraction of a second may
induce ventricular fibrillation. If not immediately treated
by defibrillation, fibrillation is usually lethal because all of
the heart muscle fibers move independently instead of in
the coordinated pulses needed to pump blood and
maintain circulation

9. NEUROLOGICAL EFFECTS:
• Current can cause interference with nervous control,
especially over the heart and lungs. Repeated or severe
electric shock which does not lead to death has been
shown to cause neuropathy. When the current path is
through the head, loss of consciousness almost always
occurs swiftly

10. SKIN LESIONS:
• Blisters formation (blister is a small pocket of body fluid
within the upper layers of the skin) can occur due to
electricity.

11. MICROSCOPIC LESIONS:
• Small, circumscribed, crater like intruded lesions with a
charred grey or black center surrounded by a zone of
pallor caused by arteriolar spasm and coagulative
necrosis. This may be surrounded by a zone of
hyperemia with presence of vesicles.

12. GROSS CHANGES:
Examination is much more important grossly than via
postmortem. Face is pale, eyes are congested and pupil
dilated. Rigor mortis occur early and postmortem lividity is
well developed. There are marks of electric burning,
contusions or laceration at the point of entrance and exit of
body. In some cases these lesion may extend to tissues
and muscles. A number of grayish-white circular spots are
formed and these are hard to touch and zone of
inflammation may be found at junction of entrance of
lesion.

13. CONTINUE…
• Severe convulsions caused by electric discharge may
cause features of spine or limbs. Extensive ecchymosis
may be found on the skin of trunk. Metallization
produced by low or high voltages may be detected under
microscope. Current marks may be hidden under oral
cavity.

14. POSTMORTEM FINDINGS:
• The appearances are usually of asphyxia. The lungs are
congested and edematous, brain and meninges and
parenchymatous organs are congested. Petechial
hemorrhages may be found along the lines of passage of
current, under endocardium, pericardium, brain, pleura
and spinal cord. There may be necrosis of intima or may
be complete necrosis of blood vessels. Vascular
thrombosis may be seen in electrical burns

15. IMPORTANT CLUES:
• Presence of electric devices or conductors.
• Burns of clothes or body surface.
• Rigor mortis condition which develops very soon after
death.