Refractory compartment syndrome after antivenom administration for an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake bite requiring fasciotomy for limb salvage: A case report

Daniel R Cavazos; Rebecca Schultz; Devan O Higginbotham; Joshua Goethals; Rahul Vaidya

doi:10.1016/j.tcr.2023.100852

Refractory compartment syndrome after antivenom administration for an Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake bite requiring fasciotomy for limb salvage: A case report

Trauma Case Rep. 2023 May 25:46:100852. doi: 10.1016/j.tcr.2023.100852. eCollection 2023 Aug.

Authors

Daniel R Cavazos^{1

2}, Rebecca Schultz², Devan O Higginbotham^{1

2}, Joshua Goethals¹, Rahul Vaidya^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Detroit Medical Center, Detroit, MI, USA.
² Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, USA.

Abstract

Case: 56-year-old male who developed post-snakebite compartment syndrome (PSCS) of the upper extremity which was refractory to antivenom administration. He had elevated compartment pressure measurements in his upper extremity. He underwent open fasciotomy for the compartment syndrome, followed by delayed primary closure and skin grafting. He now has two years of follow-up with a functional upper extremity.

Conclusion: This is a case of a patient who suffered post-snakebite compartment syndrome from his pet Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake. This case highlights the importance of correctly diagnosing compartment syndrome and validates fasciotomy as a treatment measure for confirmed post-snakebite compartment syndrome (PSCS).

Keywords: Antivenom; Compartment syndrome; Envenomation; Fasciotomy; Rattlesnake; Snake bite.

Publication types

Case Reports