- 期刊
電線短路火花引起之光照性角結膜炎
Photokeratoconjuctivitis Caused by Short Circuit Sparkles
摘要
電線短路之火花所引起的光照性角結膜炎不常發生，文獻上幾乎無記載。我們由台灣南部某醫學中心之急診部自民國九十年八月至十二月以前瞻性方式收案，共得五位病例，皆為職業因素之暴露引起，包括四位機電工及一位是水電工。五位病人都是男性，年齡由25歲至42歲，都是工作時暴露到電線短路引起之瞬間火花，造成眼睛疼痛、流淚、畏光等症狀而求診。五位患者皆經眼科醫師檢查診斷為光照性角結膜炎，但都沒有發現異物進入眼睛。接觸光源都在眼視距離30至40公分左右，症狀出現時間介於2至9小時之間，平均5.8小時。經治療後，其恢復時間介於6至13小時之間，平均7.8小時。經過追蹤，這五位病人預後良好，並無後遺症。分析其臨床病程，發現這種光照性角結膜炎比典型電焊所引起之光照性角結膜炎發病的時間較早，但恢復時間差不多，且一樣少有併發症。電線短路所引起的光照性角結膜炎因為事發突然且接近光源，預防困難。雖然其預後良好，在預期有電線短路發生時，仍可考慮戴護鏡預防。
並列摘要
Photokeratoconjunctivitis (PKC) caused by sparkles from short circuits is uncommon, and few, if any, documented cases have been reported in the literature. We recruited cases prospectively through the emergency department of a medical center in southern Taiwan and identified a total of five patients from August to December 2001. All the cases were caused by occupational exposure, including four mechanics and an electrician. They were all men of ages ranging from 25 to 42 years old. They were all exposed to sparkles caused by short circuits while working and sought for medical care due to pain in the eye, tearing, photophobia, and other symptoms. The diagnosis of PKC was confirmed by an ophthalmologist in each of the five cases, and no foreign body was found in any of them. The distance to the light source was around 30 to 40 cm, and the symptoms appeared from 2 to 9 hours after the exposure, with an average of 5.8 hours. After treatment, the symptoms subsided in 6 to 13 hours, with an average of 7.8 hours. The prognosis was quite good in all five cases, and no complication was reported during the follow-ups. We analyzed the clinical courses of these five cases and found this type of cases had a short incubation period than the typical cases caused by welding. However, the recovery time was about the same, and the prognosis was similarly favorable. PKC caused by sparkles from short circuits is hard to prevent because the incident is usually unexpected and the distance to exposure source is typically short. Although the prognosis is favorable, it may still be worthy to wear protecting equipment when short circuits are expected.