Point-of-care Ultrasound in the Assessment of Snake Bite
University of Arizona
Summary
Early identification of tissue injury from a rattlesnake bite is critical to prevent complications and reduce health care costs. Given the limitations of clinical assessment, there is a need to develop a more objective reproducible, anatomically detailed diagnostic tool for to accurately assess tissue damage and assist with timely administration of antivenom, if needed. Emergency physician performed point-of-care ultrasonography has been shown to be beneficial in the diagnosis and management of skin and soft tissue infections. The innovative use of bedside ultrasound technology can provide new information to individualize antivenom treatment and to improve patient outcomes. The objectives of this study is to compare clinical assessment and bedside ultrasound findings in the detection of tissue injury in emergency department patients with rattle snakebite and determine if bedside ultrasound can alter management (antivenom dosing) in emergency department patients with rattle snakebite.
Description
Arizona has the highest per capita rate of rattlesnake envenomation (the process by which venom is injected by the bite of a venomous animal) in the United States leading to millions of dollars in health care costs. Local tissue destruction typically manifests in the first few hours after snakebite and can progress over days or weeks leading to long-term complications such as muscle, nerve, and circulatory damage. The cornerstone in the treatment of rattlesnake envenomation is accurate estimation of progression of local tissue damage and timely administration of antivenom to halt the progressi…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Adult patients (18 years and older) * Both genders * Complaint of snake bite Exclusion Criteria: * If they are unwilling to provide informed consent * Hemodynamically unstable patients (shock respiratory distress, altered mental status, and cardiorespiratory arrest) * All vulnerable patient populations, e.g., children, pregnant patients, prisoners, and patients unable to verbally consent due to cognitive impairment
Location
- Banner University Medical Center-TucsonTucson, Arizona