Snake bite envenomation: experience at King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh.
We surveyed the records of 21 of the 28 snakebite victims seen at King Fahad National Guard Hospital in Riyadh over the 20-year period 1986-2005. The most common symptoms were local pain and swelling and the most common signs oedema and tenderness. Neurotoxicity was not noted in any case. Coagulopathy was recorded for 14/21 patients (66.7%) and 5/19 (26.4%) had leukocytosis. All patients were given tetanus toxoid (100%) and 20 (95.2%) received antivenom. Blood products were administered in 2 cases and prophylactic antibiotics in 10 (47.6%). No allergic reaction to antivenom was reported.
Al-Durihim
H
H
Department of Medicine, King Fahad National Guard Hospital, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. medicine1@ngha.med.sa
Al-Hussaini
M
M
Bin Salih
S
S
Hassan
I
I
Harakati
M
M
Al Hajjaj
A
A
D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000997:Antivenins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017839:Crotalus; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006786:Hospitals, Urban; D006801:Humans; D007964:Leukocytosis / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012909:Snake Bites / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D017819:Viperidae
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000997:Antivenins