The Compartment Syndrome Associated with Deep Vein Thrombosis due to Rattlesnake Bite: A Case Report

Bibliographic Details
Title: The Compartment Syndrome Associated with Deep Vein Thrombosis due to Rattlesnake Bite: A Case Report
Authors: Radu Ciprian Tincu, Zoie Ghiorghiu, Dana Tomescu, Radu Alexandru Macovei
Source: Balkan Medical Journal, Vol 34, Iss 4, Pp 367-370 (2017)
Publisher Information: Galenos Publishing House, 2017.
Publication Year: 2017
Collection: LCC:Medicine
Subject Terms: Snakebite, developed deep vein thrombosis, compartment syndrome, Medicine
More Details: Background: Snakebite is a health issue specific to some parts of the world, especially in the tropical area, where it produces many victims. The main clinical damage caused by snake bite involves hemotoxic, neurotoxic and myotoxic reactions. It is also established that the importance of systemic impairment varies according to individual factors and are related to organ dysfunction, shock or hypotension. We report the case of a young woman suffering from snakebite who developed deep vein thrombosis and compartment syndrome. Case Report: We present the case of a 32-year-old Romanian woman who was injured by her own Crotalinae snake (also known as pit viper or rattlesnake) on her left forearm. When admitted to our Emergency Department, she was conscious with a Glasgow coma scale of 12/15, somnolent, febrile, suffering of headache, tachypnea; the marks of the snakebite were located in the distal part of the anterior left forearm; she had pain and bleeding at the bite site and swelling of the left upper limb with lymphangitis up to the axilla. She experienced fasciotomy-requiring compartment syndrome of the upper limb and required unfractionated heparin and closed monitored using activated partial thromboplastin time evolution due micro-thrombosis in the brachial vein. Local improvement was achieved in the next 4 days with progressive diminish of local tenderness and swelling. Conclusion: Limb deep vein thrombosis might be induced by snakebite, despite pro-hemorrhagic general condition induced by the envenomation. High index of clinical suspicion is needed for early diagnosis and timely management which can improve survival of these patients
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 2146-3123
2146-3131
Relation: http://balkanmedicaljournal.org/text.php?lang=en&id=3; https://doaj.org/toc/2146-3123; https://doaj.org/toc/2146-3131
DOI: 10.4274/balkanmedj.2016.0218
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/084ba6070d0b412a99e3c5f512a69bda
Accession Number: edsdoj.084ba6070d0b412a99e3c5f512a69bda
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:21463123
21463131
DOI:10.4274/balkanmedj.2016.0218
Published in:Balkan Medical Journal
Language:English