@article{ref1,
title="Viperidae snake envenomation from a highly complex hospital in southwestern Colombia",
journal="Heliyon",
year="2024",
author="Erazo-Martinez, Valeria and Posso-Osorio, Iván and Ruiz-Ordoñez, Ingrid and Castro-Herrera, Fernando and Castaño-Valencia, Santiago and Delgado-Mora, Tatiana and Cañas, Carlos A.",
volume="10",
number="5",
pages="e26768-e26768",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Snake envenomation is a medical condition with high morbidity and mortality in southwestern Colombia. <br><br>OBJECTIVES: To describe the characteristics of the envenomation caused by Viperidae snakes view in a highly complex hospital in Southwestern Colombia. <br><br>METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out. Patients treated for Viperidae snake envenomation from 2001 to 2020 in a Hospital Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, Colombia, were studied. <br><br>RESULTS: Twenty-eight patients were included. Envenomation was caused by the genera Bothrops, Bothriechis, Porthidium, and Bothrocophias. The median age was 37.7 (±20.6), and they were predominantly male (19, 68%). Bites occurred on the upper extremities in 16 (57%) patients. Pain (23, 81%) and edema (22, 78%) were the most common clinical symptoms. Thirteen (46%) patients presented coagulopathy. Prolonged prothrombin and activated partial thromboplastin times were common: (22, 78% and 15, 53%, respectively). Twenty (71%) patients were treated with polyvalent antivenom (median dose of 6 (2-15) vials). The median time between the accident and antivenom administration was 9 h (5.5-17). Door-to-needle time was 37.5 (0-62) min. Eighteen (64%) patients were admitted to the intensive care unit. Three (11%) patients had serum sickness. Seven (25%) developed infectious complications, four (14%) had surgery, one (3%) had compartment syndrome, one (3%) underwent amputation of the affected limb, and one (3%) patient died. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Local manifestations and coagulopathy were common clinical features. Polyvalent antivenom was an effective treatment for disease control. Significant complications were associated with delays in seeking medical care.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2405-8440",
doi="10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26768",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e26768"
}