Journals / Adli Tıp Bülteni / 2021 / Cilt: 26 - Sayı: 1

Deaths due to Lightning Strikes: A Retrospective Study of a Ten-year Period (2007-2017)

Yıldırım Çarpmasına Bağlı Ölümler: 10 yıllık Retrospektif bir çalışma (2007-2017)

Pages
33–39
Publication Date
2022-10-10
DOI
—
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

It will be beneficialto provide basic awareness training on lightning strike risks for the whole society, especially for shepherds and agricultural workers, to reducethe deaths due to lightning strikes, the exact death causes of which can be determined through autopsies.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:Objective: Lightning is a major reason for weather-related deaths and injuries.
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Key Findings & Data:The risk of being struck by lightning is higher for those whowork outdoors.Methods: In this retrospective study, 19 lightning-related deaths between 2007 and 2017, which were obtained from the archives of Council ofForensic Medicine Trabzon Group Chairmanship, were evaluated.Results: The age range of the cases was between 8 and 75 years and 15 of them were male.
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Conclusion & Impact:It will be beneficialto provide basic awareness training on lightning strike risks for the whole society, especially for shepherds and agricultural workers, to reducethe deaths due to lightning strikes, the exact death causes of which can be determined through autopsies.
🔬Design:Research Article
📍Scope:2007 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Domain Parameters

Abstract

Objective: Lightning is a major reason for weather-related deaths and injuries. The risk of being struck by lightning is higher for those whowork outdoors.Methods: In this retrospective study, 19 lightning-related deaths between 2007 and 2017, which were obtained from the archives of Council ofForensic Medicine Trabzon Group Chairmanship, were evaluated.Results: The age range of the cases was between 8 and 75 years and 15 of them were male. Nine of the cases were a shepherd. The numberof the cases went to the top in June with nine cases and 17 of the decedents were found in outdoor spaces. On the external examinations ofeight cases (42%), there was a Lichtenberg figure. The electrical entrance regions were the head and neck in 10 cases (53%). Bleeding, contusionsand lacerations, especially in the lungs and brain, were considered to be due to the blast effect of the lightning. Subepidermal/suprabasaldissociation, spindle appearance in epithelial cells of epidermis and dermal appendages, intraepidermal vesicles and collagen denaturationwere detected in microscopic examinations.Conclusion: Lightning is an airborne event that may cause death in outdoor environments. After a lightning strike, a Lichtenberg figure can beseen on external examination, and macroscopic bleeding in the lungs and brain can be observed on internal examination. It will be beneficialto provide basic awareness training on lightning strike risks for the whole society, especially for shepherds and agricultural workers, to reducethe deaths due to lightning strikes, the exact death causes of which can be determined through autopsies.

Özet

Amaç: Yıldırım, hava koşullarına bağlı ölüm ve yaralanmaların önemli bir nedenidir. Yıldırıma çarpılma riski dış ortamda çalışanlarda daha yüksektir. Yöntem: Çalışmada 2007-2017 yılları arasında gerçekleşen ve Adli Tıp Kurumu Trabzon Grup Başkanlığı’na otopsisi yapılmak üzere gönderilen olgulardan elde edilen 19 yıldırım düşmesi olayı, arşivlerinden retrospektif olarak taranarak değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Olguların yaş aralığı 8-75 iken 15’i erkekti ve 9’u çobandı. Olgu sayısı Haziran ayında 9 ile pik yapmıştı. Ölenlerin 17’si açık alanlarda bulundu. Olguların 8’inin (%42) dış muayenesinde lichtenberg figürü bulgusu vardı. On olguda elektrik giriş bölgesi baş ve boyun (%53) idi. Akciğerlerdeki ve beyindeki kanama, kontüzyon ve laserasyonların yıldırımın patlama etkisine bağlı olarak oluştuğu düşünüldü. Mikroskobik incelemelerde subepidermal/suprabazal ayrışma, epidermis ve dermal eklerin epitel hücrelerinde iğsi görünüm, intraepidermal veziküller ve kollajen denatürasyonu tespit edildi. Sonuç: Yıldırım genellikle dış ortamlarda ölüme neden olabilen, hava kaynaklı bir olaydır. Yıldırım çarpması sonrasında dış muayenede Lichtenberg figürü, iç muayenede ise akciğerlerde ve beyinde makroskopik düzeyde kanama görülebilir. Kesin ölüm nedenleri yapılan otopsiler sonucunda tespit edilebilen yıldırım çarpmasına bağlı ölümlerin azaltılmasına yönelik olarak çobanlar, tarım işçileri başta olmak üzere tüm topluma yönelik yıldırım çarpması risklerine karşı temel farkındalık eğitimlerinin verilmesi faydalı olacaktır.

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Cite This Article

ÇAKIR, E., BEYHUN, N. E., KETENCİ, H. Ç., ALTINOK, M., AYDOĞDU, H. İ. (2022). Deaths due to Lightning Strikes: A Retrospective Study of a Ten-year Period (2007-2017). Adli Tıp Bülteni, Cilt: 26 - Sayı: 1, 33–39. https://ajindex.com/articles/428634

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