The use of early veno-venous extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) following lightning strike induced acute lung injury

Lightning is a life-threatening natural phenomenon. It has an electrical potential of 100-300 million volts and is capable of producing heat of up to 3000 °C. Fortunately, in the United Kingdom lightning strike injury is relatively uncommon, affecting 30-60 people annually with a mortality of approximately 5-10%. The probability of being struck by lightning is 1 in 1.2 million, and the probability of death is 1 in 33 million – resulting in approxim ately 3 deaths annually.1
Source: Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia - Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Tags: Case Report Source Type: research