OBJECTIVE: The study was designed to investigate the changes in some rheological parameters and ET-1 in venous blood following electrical burns. METHODS: One of the hind limbs of rabbits was subjected to 3000 V, 2.5 A charge of alternative electric current for 3 seconds. Rheological parameters such as red cell deformability (RED) and platelet aggregation rate (PAR), as well as endothelin-1 (ET-1) in venous blood drained from electrical burn wounds and contents of ATP in damaged muscle were measured at time intervals of 2 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h postburn. RESULTS: The changes in the parameters mentioned above were significant following electrical injury. The administration of PGE1 showed an advantageous effect in prevention of thrombosis and muscle "progressive necrosis" through improvement in RCD, reduction of PAR and the content of ET-1 in local circulation. CONCLUSION: RCD, PAR and the content of ET-1 in local circulation changed significantly following electric injury and may play an important role in the process of "progressive necrosis". The potential use of PGE1 in the treatment of electrical injury is proposed.