TY - JOUR
T1 - Life-threatening systemic toxicity and airway compromise from a common European adder bite to the tongue
AU - Hoegberg, L C G
AU - Jessen, C L
AU - Lambertsen, K
AU - Stensballe, J
N1 - Keywords: Airway Obstruction; Animals; Antivenins; Humans; Immunologic Factors; Male; Shock; Snake Bites; Tongue; Tracheotomy; Treatment Outcome; Viper Venoms; Viperidae; Young Adult
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - A 24-year-old man was bit on the tongue by a European common adder. Within 15 min following envenomation, he experienced tongue swelling, hypotension and impaired consciousness. Antihistamine, corticosteroid and crystalloids were administered. Within 105 min of envenomation, increasing oral, pharyngeal and facial oedema compromised the airway, leading to respiratory failure, concomitant with circulatory failure related to hypoxaemia and systemic toxic effects. Acute tracheotomy secured the airway, and two doses of antivenom successfully treated the systemic, toxic effects. The reaction was severe due to rapid and suspected high-dose uptake of venom, underlining the need for early advanced symptomatic treatment with airway control and early and eventually repeated dosing of antivenom.
AB - A 24-year-old man was bit on the tongue by a European common adder. Within 15 min following envenomation, he experienced tongue swelling, hypotension and impaired consciousness. Antihistamine, corticosteroid and crystalloids were administered. Within 105 min of envenomation, increasing oral, pharyngeal and facial oedema compromised the airway, leading to respiratory failure, concomitant with circulatory failure related to hypoxaemia and systemic toxic effects. Acute tracheotomy secured the airway, and two doses of antivenom successfully treated the systemic, toxic effects. The reaction was severe due to rapid and suspected high-dose uptake of venom, underlining the need for early advanced symptomatic treatment with airway control and early and eventually repeated dosing of antivenom.
U2 - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2009.02083.x
DO - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2009.02083.x
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 19681776
SN - 0001-5172
VL - 53
SP - 1361
EP - 1364
JO - Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
JF - Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
IS - 10
ER -