iPods and thunderstorms don't mix.
That's the message from a Canadian case study in July
12's NEJM.
This summer has brought its share
of wacky weather to Canadians. The seemingly endless
rain and thunderstorms have been especially annoying
for outdoor sports enthusiasts. But the NEJM
case shows that sometimes it's better to just stay put
when the weather outside is frightful.
The 37-year-old Vancouver man described
in the case had been out jogging while listening to
his iPod during a thunderstorm. Suddenly, according
to witnesses, lightning hit a nearby tree and "side
flashed" from the tree to the man. Opisthotonic muscle
contraction sent the man flying several metres, resulting
in blunt trauma injuries. He suffered second-degree
burns on his chest and leg, and had two tellingly linear
burns which stretched along the front of his chest up
into his eardrums. Both eardrums were ruptured —
common lightning injuries — most likely due to
air rapidly expanding as it was heated by the current.
He also suffered bilateral ossicular dislocations —
rare in cases of lightning strikes. On top of this,
he had bilateral mandibular fractures, probably due
to muscle contraction.
The Vancouver docs who authored
the case study surmise that the iPod's trademark white
earphones led to the internal flow of electrical current.
While it's unlikely the lightning was initially attracted
by the digital audio player, the skin's electrical resistance
might have otherwise prevented the direct delivery of
lightning into the man's head, had he chosen not to
rock out during his jog.
Having lost his hearing in one
of the most medically interesting ways possible, the
patient's now dependent on hearing aids. His strange
case will likely fuel urban legends — and perhaps
cautious behaviour — for years to come.
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