A fundamentally new approach to therapy for victims of electrical shock

The authors present data indicating that 0.1 mM Poloxamer 188, an 8.4 kDa triblock copolymer, can be effective in restoring ionic transport properties to electroporated rat skeletal muscle fibers under cell culture conditions. In addition, the authors have observed that Poloxamer 188 can be administered intravenously to an anaesthetized rat which has experienced electroporation of the hind limb muscle. In response, Poloxamer 188-treated animals exhibit less tissue damage than animals receiving neutral dextran of comparable molecular size. These data provide encouraging evidence suggesting that it may be possible to treat victims of electrical shock and restore tissue viability, particularly if administered within the time frame of the initial hour after electrical shock