Unusual Lichtenberg figures in a lightning strike's victim: Case report and literature review

Dario Raniero; Andrea Uberti; Giovanna Del Balzo; Elisa Vermiglio; Alessia Farinelli; Stefania Turrina; Domenico De Leo

doi:10.1016/j.legalmed.2022.102028

Unusual Lichtenberg figures in a lightning strike's victim: Case report and literature review

Leg Med (Tokyo). 2022 May:56:102028. doi: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2022.102028. Epub 2022 Feb 1.

Authors

Dario Raniero¹, Andrea Uberti², Giovanna Del Balzo², Elisa Vermiglio², Alessia Farinelli², Stefania Turrina², Domenico De Leo²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Forensic Medicine, University of Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy. Electronic address: dario.raniero@univr.it.
² Department of Diagnostics and Public Health, Section of Forensic Medicine, University of Verona, P.le L.A. Scuro 10, 37134 Verona, Italy.

PMID: 35124324
DOI: 10.1016/j.legalmed.2022.102028

Abstract

Lichtenberg figures are pathognomonic markings commonly described as transient pink-red fractal pattern marks on the skin of people struck by a lightning. Their nature and the underlying physiopathology are still largely unknown. Here we describe a Lichtenberg figure in a 45-year-old woman who died due to a lightning strike during a thunderstorm. On autopsy, five days after the fatal event, she presented atypical green Lichtenberg figures on the skin of her abdomen. This appearance has not previously been described in the scientific literature, so a review of literature was done to support our observation.

Keywords: Electrical marks; Forensic pathology; Keraunopathology; Lichtenberg figures; Lightning; Natural electrical energy.

Publication types

Case Reports
Review

MeSH terms

Autopsy
Death
Female
Humans
Lightning Injuries* / pathology
Lightning*
Middle Aged
Skin / pathology