Epidemiological characterization of ophidian accidents in a Colombian tertiary referral hospital. Retrospective study 2004-2014

Introduction: In Colombia, there are 5 000 cases of ophidism per year. This is a public health issue that causes mortality in 8% of cases and disability in 10% due to inadequate clinical attention.Objective: To describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients diagnosed with ophidic accident in a tertiary hospital in Colombia.Materials and methods: A review of clinical charts that included a diagnosis of ophidism during the 2004-2014 period was made at Hospital Universitario de La Samaritana Empresa Social del Estado. The frequency of the variables associated with snake bites, previous treatment and in-hospital management was analyzed.Results: 42 medical charts were reviewed. Ophidism predominated in male farmers, who presented with bites in the lower limbs and were initially treated by medicine men/women. 90% of patients developed superinfections, 30% wound culture, 74% received antibiotics, 50% underwent fasciotomy and 95.2% were given antivenin.Conclusions: Significant variability in the management of patients, discrepancy in antivenin dose and in classification of poisoning severity were observed throughout the study, as well as a high incidence of infections despite antibiotic schemes and surgical procedures. Medical management of ophidic accidents must be continuously updated to reduce disability and mortality in patients.

• Autores: Sarmiento, Karen; Torres, Ivonne; Guerra, Mariana; Ríos, Carolina; Zapata, Carlos; Suárez, Fernando
• Tipo de recurso: Article of journal
• Fecha de publicación: 2018
• Institución: Universidad Nacional de Colombia
• Repositorio: Universidad Nacional de Colombia
• Idioma: spa
• OAI Identifier: oai:repositorio.unal.edu.co:unal/64961
• Acceso en línea: https://repositorio.unal.edu.co/handle/unal/64961; http://bdigital.unal.edu.co/65984/
• Palabra clave: 61 Ciencias médicas; Medicina / Medicine and health; Antivenins; Snake Bites; Tertiary Healthcare; Epidemiology; Public Health; Antivenenos; Mordeduras de serpientes; Atención terciaria de salud; Epidemiología; Salud pública
• Rights: openAccess
• License: Atribución-NoComercial 4.0 Internacional