A patient is brought to the emergency department after an electrical injury at home. A witness states the patient grasped a faulty appliance and was unable to release it. This 'no-let-go' phenomenon, involving tetanic muscle contraction, is most characteristically associated with which type of electrical exposure?
The correct answer is low-voltage alternating current (AC). Low-frequency AC, typical of household electricity, causes tetanic muscle contractions that can 'freeze' a victim to the electrical source, preventing them from letting go. This prolonged contact increases the severity of the injury.
High-voltage direct current (DC) and high-voltage AC typically cause a single, powerful muscle contraction that is more likely to throw the victim away from the source, resulting in associated blunt trauma but limiting the duration of the electrical contact.
Lightning is a form of massive, high-voltage DC, and also causes a single convulsive shock that throws the victim.
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BCEN CEN
Environment and Toxicology Emergencies, and Communicable Diseases
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