Clinical experience in the therapy of bites from exotic snakes in Berlin.
Hum Exp Toxicol
; 11(6): 549-52, 1992 Nov.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-1361148
ABSTRACT
Since there are nearly no indigenous poisonous snakes in Germany, snake bites by poisonous snakes are rare. Most serious snake bites reported to poison information centres or treated at hospitals are caused by exotic snakes that are kept in private households. Only few types of antivenom are stored in emergency depots in Germany including polyvalent antivenoms from commercial sources. Since experience with the treatment of poisonous snake bites is limited, the records of the Intensive Care Unit and the Poison Information Centre of the Universitätsklinikum Rudolf Virchow from 1980-1991 were evaluated. During this period, 51 snake bites were reported. Eleven patients who had been bitten by exotic poisonous snakes were treated in intensive care. In eight of the cases, ethanol (blood levels on admission 1.2-4.2 g-1) had played an important role in the cause of the bite. A moderate to severe local inflammation at the site of the bite followed by oedema and necrosis was typical. One patient developed respiratory failure, probably because of the neurotoxic effects of the snake venom and a compartment syndrome necessitating fasciotomy. Haemolysis was observed in four patients and coagulopathy in six patients. All patients received polyvalent antivenom within 2-12 h of the snake bite. Despite serious coagulopathy in two of the patients and respiratory arrest in one, all survived without sequelae.
Buscar en Google
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Mordeduras de Serpientes
/
Antivenenos
Límite:
Adult
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Hum Exp Toxicol
Asunto de la revista:
TOXICOLOGIA
Año:
1992
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Alemania