Open AccessHemotoxic Snakebite Presenting with Bilateral Blindness Due to Ischemic Occipital Infarcts
Author(s) -
Kodiatte Abraham A,
Livingston John
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
indian journal of critical care medicine/indian journal of critical care medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.317
H-Index - 30
eISSN - 1998-359X
pISSN - 0972-5229
DOI - 10.5005/jp-journals-10071-23125
Subject(s) - medicine , vasospasm , cortical blindness , blindness , vasculitis , ischemic stroke , ischemia , stroke (engine) , coagulopathy , surgery , cardiology , disease , subarachnoid hemorrhage , optometry , mechanical engineering , engineering
Cerebrovascular complications are rare following a Viperidae snake envenomation, let alone ischemic ones. This catastrophic hemorrhaging cascade is widely known to cause a wide array of manifestations. Its manifestations can range from skin bleeds to fatal intracranial or organ hemorrhages. Our patient had cortical blindness secondary to an ischemic occipital infarct following a hemotoxic snakebite - a seemingly distinct oxymoron. The physician should be mindful of the fact that a hemotoxic snakebite can deceptively bring in ischemic attacks as well. Toxic vasculitis, thrombotic angiopathies, widespread vasospasm and endothelial damage are believed to shoulder a part of the disease process that can bring about tissue ischemia.