Open AccessA rare case report of Russell's viper snakebite with ischemic stroke
Author(s) -
Pothukuchi VK,
Chepuri VR,
Natta Kalyani,
Madigani Nagaraju,
Kumar Alok
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
hong kong journal of emergency medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.145
H-Index - 12
eISSN - 2309-5407
pISSN - 1024-9079
DOI - 10.1177/1024907917735071
Subject(s) - medicine , viper , stroke (engine) , vasculitis , computed tomography , ischemic stroke , disseminated intravascular coagulation , radiology , surgery , ischemia , cardiology , mechanical engineering , ecology , venom , engineering , biology , disease
Ischemic stroke following snakebite is rare. We report a case of a 55‐year‐old male who developed headache with expressive aphasia following a Russell's viper bite. Computed tomography scan of the brain revealed infarcts in bilateral frontal lobes. The possible mechanisms for cerebral infarction in this scenario are discussed, which include disseminated intravascular coagulation, toxin‐induced vasculitis, and endothelial damage. In viper bites, whenever there is any central nervous system manifestations or deficits, immediate computed tomography scan of the brain should be taken to delineate the underlying pathology, whether hemorrhagic or ischemic, as treatments differ in both situations. Although ischemic stroke is rare in viper bites, if the treatment is started early, the neurological deficits can be minimized.