1Dept. of Forensic Medicine
2Dept. of Paediatrics Goa Medical College, Goa
3Animal Rescue Squad, Goa
Snakebite envenomation is a common medical emergency encountered in the tropics, and an estimated 35000 to 50000 people die of snakebite every year in India. However, there is not much information available in Indian medical literature on the standard management of snakebite.
We report a one-year retrospective study (January 2004 to December 2004) of 118 cases brought to Goa Medical College Hospital for the treatment of snakebite. There were 6 fatalities of admitted patients, whereas 3 persons died before their arrival at the medical college hospital. At undergraduate level, medical students in India are taught the management of snakebite in the Toxicology section of Forensic Medicine. In actual practice, these patients are managed by clinical departments such as Paediatrics, Medicine, or Surgery.
The results of this study (relating to the diagnosis, identification of snake, laboratory investigations, treatment, and medico-legal aspects) in relation to the actual utility of available information in standard Indian texts of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, and dilemmas arising therefrom are discussed.
A brief account of three interesting cases encountered during the course of the study is also included.
