title: Adder bite: an uncommon cause of compartment syndrome in northern hemisphere.
abstract: Snakebite envenomation is an uncommon condition in the northern hemisphere, but requires high vigilance with regard to both the systemic effects of the venom and the locoregional impact on the soft tissues. Bites from the adder, Vipera Berus, may have serious clinical consequences due to systemic effects. A case of a 44-year-old man is reported. The patient was bitten in the right hand. He developed fasciotomy-requiring compartment syndrome of the upper limb. Recognition of this most seldom complication of an adder bite is vital to save the limb. We recommend that the classical signs and symptoms of compartment syndrome serve as indication for surgical decompression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic, Hand-, Reconstructive Surgery, Burn Center, University of Lübeck, Germany. levers@gmx.net
authors.forename: Lars H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Evers
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bartscher
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lange
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mailänder
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D003161:Compartment Syndromes / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012909:Snake Bites / Q000150:complications*; D014757:Viper Venoms / Q000506:poisoning*; D017819:Viperidae
chemical_list: D014757:Viper Venoms