Microwave radiation injury.

PAPER pubmed Annals of emergency medicine 1983 Case report Effect: harm Evidence: Very low

Read original paper → DOI: 10.1016/s0196-0644(83)80215-7 PMID: 6625269 Evidence Lab

Abstract

A case of momentary exposure of the right hand to irradiation from a microwave oven is described. Transient paresthesias and a cold, pale hand resulted but resolved spontaneously in 60 minutes without treatment. Even momentary exposure can result in severe coagulation necrosis, with eventual loss of the exposed extremity.

AI evidence extraction

At a glance

Study type

Case report

Effect direction

harm

Population

—

Sample size

Exposure

microwave microwave oven · momentary

Evidence strength

Very low

Confidence: 74% · Peer-reviewed: yes

Main findings

A single case described momentary exposure of the right hand to microwave oven irradiation, resulting in transient paresthesias and a cold, pale hand that resolved spontaneously within 60 minutes without treatment. The report notes that even momentary exposure can result in severe coagulation necrosis with possible eventual loss of the exposed extremity.

Outcomes measured

Transient paresthesias
Cold, pale hand
Coagulation necrosis (potential severe injury)
Loss of exposed extremity (potential outcome)

Limitations

Single case report
No exposure metrics reported (e.g., frequency, power, SAR)
Causal inference limited by lack of controls and potential confounding
Short follow-up for the described case (symptoms resolved within 60 minutes)

View raw extracted JSON

{
    "study_type": "case_report",
    "exposure": {
        "band": "microwave",
        "source": "microwave oven",
        "frequency_mhz": null,
        "sar_wkg": null,
        "duration": "momentary"
    },
    "population": null,
    "sample_size": 1,
    "outcomes": [
        "Transient paresthesias",
        "Cold, pale hand",
        "Coagulation necrosis (potential severe injury)",
        "Loss of exposed extremity (potential outcome)"
    ],
    "main_findings": "A single case described momentary exposure of the right hand to microwave oven irradiation, resulting in transient paresthesias and a cold, pale hand that resolved spontaneously within 60 minutes without treatment. The report notes that even momentary exposure can result in severe coagulation necrosis with possible eventual loss of the exposed extremity.",
    "effect_direction": "harm",
    "limitations": [
        "Single case report",
        "No exposure metrics reported (e.g., frequency, power, SAR)",
        "Causal inference limited by lack of controls and potential confounding",
        "Short follow-up for the described case (symptoms resolved within 60 minutes)"
    ],
    "evidence_strength": "very_low",
    "confidence": 0.7399999999999999911182158029987476766109466552734375,
    "peer_reviewed_likely": "yes",
    "keywords": [
        "microwave radiation",
        "microwave oven",
        "hand exposure",
        "paresthesia",
        "thermal injury",
        "coagulation necrosis",
        "case report"
    ],
    "suggested_hubs": []
}

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AI-extracted fields are generated from the abstract/metadata and may be incomplete or incorrect. This content is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice.

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