HEALTH: Things You Should Not Do After A Snakebite - Physician Cautions
Thompson Nsisongabasi
Oct 04, 2021
An Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgeon Consultant at the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos State, Dr. Bright Igbinoba, has warned against tying of legs after a snakebite which according to him, has medical implications.
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He noted that some of the things that were done in the past when a person was bitten by a snake, including tying of legs, sucking of affected area, use of razor blade, etc, are being discouraged nowadays.
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According to the physician, the practice and other crude management of snakebite are fueling avoidable mortality, morbidity, and increase in limb amputation.
Dr. Igbinoba stated this in an exclusive interview with PUNCH Healthwise.
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The call by the medical expert is coming after the Federal Government called for renewed vigour among stakeholders in snakebite management
The expert advised victims of snakebite to immediately call for help and ensure they are taken to good health facilities for appropriate treatment.
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He said it is also important to quickly rush a person bitten by a snake to the hospital to avoid orthopaedic effects that could lead to complications and amputation of the limb.
The orthopaedic surgeon explained,
"The first thing that should not be done after a person is bitten by a snake is tying something tight around the limb.
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"Normally, once a person is bitten by a snake, the limb is swollen. So, as you tie it, it becomes more swollen and blood will not flow into the limb and the limb will die. And once the limb is dead, it will need an amputation.
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"Before, if a person has a snake bite, they will ask him or her to tear a piece of clothing and tie the leg. Tying that piece of clothing on the leg has been found to increase the risk of amputation.
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"Again, the practice of cutting the bite mark of a snake with a razor blade should be discouraged. It has been found to introduce infection.
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"Also, the practice of sucking the venom by mouth is also discouraged. It doesn't really help because the venom can enter the mouth of the person trying to suck it.
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"The use of cold compress is also discouraged.ÔÇØ
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Igbinoba noted that snakebite might not lead to death or amputation if people get help on time and seek appropriate treatment.
Giving insight into snake venom and their complications, Igbinoba said;
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"We have the ones that destroy the blood and are very toxic to the blood. Those ones are called the haemotoxins venom or snakebite.
"Snakes with this type of venom, once they bite a person, their venom enters the bloodstream and starts destroying the blood. And the person will start bleeding from the snakebite and can bleed into the internal organs and die from there.
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"Then you have the neurotoxic venom. The ones take over the nerves of the body and weaken the person and the person cannot move again.
"The venom will completely take over the person's nervous system. The last type of venom is necrotizing fasciitis. Now, what do snakes do when they bite an animal or prey, the venoms contain enzymes and so as they inject it into a person's body, the body starts digesting.
"That digestion, what it does is to kill the cells. And that is what causes the limb to start getting rotten.
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"It causes it to have a big wound and swell,ÔÇØ he explained.
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The physician advised that people should avoid drugs not prescribed by experts when they are bitten by a snake.
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"People should immediately call for help once they are bitten by a snake.
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The person should be quickly rushed to the hospital.
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"The person should try and know the type of snake so that we will be able to know the type of venom that the snake has.
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"It is also important to note the time of the bite so that we can plan and know the speed at which to attend to the patientÔÇØ, the surgeon counselled.
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— Thompson Nsisongabasi