Atrial fibrillation induced by low-voltage electrical injury

A 33-year-old young man arrived in the emergency room by his own means after being struck by a 230 V, 50 Hz alternating current electrical shock through an accident in a domestic context. While he was trying to adjust the temperature of an old industrial refrigerator by rotating the thermostat with his right hand with the help of a clamp, he suddenly received an electrical shock. The young man was on his knees in front of the appliance and during the shock he could not detach himself from the clamp, feeling a strong internal heat for several seconds. A cousin, who was in the same room, disconnected the valves responsible for supplying electricity. The patient experienced a short episode of malaise and dizziness and was driven to hospital. Upon arrival, about 30 minutes after the accident, he reported profound asthenia associated with strong palpitations and lower left limb pain. Clinical evaluation revealed a conscious patient with pulse rate of about 140 bpm and irregular, blood pressure of 115/75 mm Hg and oxygen saturation 98% on ambient air. There was no evidence of injury to the right hand