Description

Electricity can cause skeletal muscles to undergo tetanic contractions, which can be strong enough to break bone, especially if the bone has a weakness.


 

Scenario 1:

(1) A pediatric patient with an unfused epiphyseal plate.

(2) Exposure of muscles that cross the unfused plate to electricity.

(3) Sufficient tetanic activity to cause a fracture.

 

Scenario 2:

(1) A muscular adult.

(2) Contractions across the scapula, femoral neck or other sites in the proximal appendicular skeleton.

 

Scenario 3:

(1) A patient with weakened bone (severe osteoporosis, bone tumor, etc).

(2) Contractions across the scapula, femoral neck or other sites in the proximal appendicular skeleton.

 

Differential diagnosis:

(1) fall-related fracture

 


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