Venomdoc Forums

[Venomdoc]

Hi all,

Please download and disseminate widely the below paper


http://www2.us.elsevierhealth.com/scripts/om.dll/serve?action=get-media&id=as019606440400280x&trueID=pdf_s019606440400280x&location=jem04442&type=pdf&name=x.pdf

It questions whether fasciotomies following snakebite might actually worsen the outcome for the limb. This is of course of tremendous importance to anyone who keeps snakes.

I recommend printing it out and showing it to your local hospital (if you have an arrangement in place in case of snakebite, which you should) and also to bring with you to the hospital. Particularly since it appears that early and aggressive antivenom has the best outcome.

Cheers
Bryan
_________________
Department of Biochemistry,
Bio21 Institute,
University of Melbourne,
Australia
---------------------
Faith can't be put in a test tube. Thats why it shouldn't be put in a science classroom.
---------------------
Faith (noun). Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence
Science (noun). The observation, identification, description, experimental investigation and theoretical explanation of phenomena. Such activities restricted to a class of natural phenomena.

[Tommo]

ill print it at school tommorrow, the page freezes on my computer

[elapidking81]

Im printing it now! Thank you.
_________________
Shane

[Barry4]

Hello
I am printing it as well very interesting

what I really can't understand is why the doctors first try to treat the bite symptomatically, rather then use the antivenin and brace for any expected allergic reaction thats actually a rather easy fix unless the patient is acutely allergic, by delaying the advent of antivenin are they not creating the contitions that would make the sugerical option more viable. I give you the example of a dealer that decided to remove a tick ofrm the neck of a wc adult female black mamba, more then a few of you all should know this as it happened in June of last year durning the Daytona show. he was bitten 4 or 5 times by what was described by a guy that was keeping the snake after the incident--as a HUGE female enormous head and about 10 feet long. Hillsbourgh, Florida, is where it happened, and Tampa Bay hospital treated the bite at first symptomatically, despite being told that the symptoms are merely indicators of the impending collaspe of most all major body functions. He was ignored, wasn't till the patient developed renal failure which was predicted, that AV was administered, 6 hours later, they had the av for 4 hours and didn't use it-----why?????????????
Just curious
Barry

[Venomdoc]

Sounds like those doctors where in waaaaaaaaaaaayyy over their heads. This is the perfect example of why it is tremendously important that venomous snake keepers establish a professional relationship with their local hospital so that things go as smoothly as possible. Last thing a bite victim needs is the doctor to complicate matters.

Cheers
Bryan
_________________
Department of Biochemistry,
Bio21 Institute,
University of Melbourne,
Australia
---------------------
Faith can't be put in a test tube. Thats why it shouldn't be put in a science classroom.
---------------------
Faith (noun). Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence
Science (noun). The observation, identification, description, experimental investigation and theoretical explanation of phenomena. Such activities restricted to a class of natural phenomena.

[Barry4]

good morning Doc,

actually treating symptomatically snake bites seems to be a trend restricting the use of for example crofab unless is a absolutely critical snake bite otherwise the trend is to keep the patient comfortable as possible, and promote blood flow into the stricken area to prevent necrosis as much as possible or atleast is what I have seen from reports from across the US of late only scutulatus bites, are really aggressively treated with AV for obvious reasons seems the doctors like the surgical options over possible complications over the usage of AV legal complications wouldn't want to have to explain why a patient crashed after using a med and was allergic to it and the doctors failed to note the impending condition. When I suggest they restrict the use of AV thats to mean they would not use the quanity of AV to actually prevent continuing damage, but to arrest or slow it up and allow the body to overcome it or be overcome by it. perhaps I have become a bit jaded by the medical profession, and have come to believe that to actually cure their patients is not as important as making sure of return visits yeah I know too skeptical a view for most you all but I have my reasonong anyway. well enough of this morbid thought processing but the usage of av is being restricted in many areas more food for thought
Thanks
Barry

[MattHarris]

. Considering, Jacobi Med Center in the Bronx treats most snakebite victims in the Northeast, I hope it makes its way there and gets passed around.

I recall Dean telling me several years ago "Never let them cut you open". Especially so, in cases of Central American Lachesis envenomation since very little muscle tissue is damaged.
_________________
Matt

[rgp]

Doctors in the USA are frequently sued if the patient has an allergic reaction, so their choice of procedures are frequently decided by liability lawsuits and insurance BS.

Also given the low number of snakebites in the USA, you are potentially the doctor's test monkey if bitten by anything.

I think that U.S. veterinarians deal with far more snake bites than doctors do.

Richard.

[phobos]

Hey Mate:

The link for this paper changed...check here:

http://www2.us.elsevierhealth.com/inst/serve?action=searchDB&searchDBfor=art&artType=fullfree&id=as019606440400280x&special=hilite&query=%5Bcontribs%5D%28dart%2C%29


Cheers!

Al
_________________
Confidence is what you feel before you comprehend the situation.

[Venomdoc]

Cheers mate. I appreciate it.