A clinical dilemma in an unconscious patient

• Main Authors: Suman K Panda, Hari Mohan P. Sinha, Binita Panigrahi, Satish K Prasad
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2019-01-01
• Series: Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care
• Subjects: envenomation; ptosis; pulmonary edema; snake bite
• Online Access: http://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2019;volume=8;issue=10;spage=3428;epage=3430;aulast=Panda

Snake bite is a major life-threatening emergency seen more commonly in rural tropical countries. In general, about 70% of the bites are nonpoisonous, 15% are dry bites, and only 15% cause envenomation. Venom is the saliva of snake ejected during biting, from the poison apparatus (the modified parotid glands). It can be neurotoxic, vasculotoxic, or myotoxic in its action. The polyvalent antisnake venom is effective against most common poisonous snakes. Prompt diagnosis and timely administration of the polyvalent antisnake venom can reduce mortality and morbidity to a great extent. We present a case which was brought to the emergency department of without any previous forthcoming history of snakebite, with symptom such as abdominal pain, chest pain, vomiting, and respiratory distress followed by loss of consciousness. The patient was timely resuscitated and with prompt use of polyvalent ASV and neostigmine the patient recovered without any neurological symptoms within a week.