ENVENOMATION BY THE HORNED VIPER (VIPERA-AMMODYTES L)

Snake venom poisoning is a medical emergency that requires urgent ther apeutic procedures. The treatment of venomous snakebites is still cont roversial because of unclear therapeutic modalities. Choice of treatme nt is dictated in part by regional characteristics with regard to pati ent population and types of venomous snakes. The purpose of the study presented here was to report regional experience with venomous snakebi tes and to describe first-aid, pre-hospital, and hospital therapeutic procedures for horned viper bite. During a 16-year period, from 1980 t o 1996, at the Clinical Hospital Split (Croatia) we collected data on 389 victims of horned viper bite. Incidence of the local and general c omplications is presented. We also reviewed therapeutic modalities and outcome with special attention to compartment syndromes and the indic ations for fasciotomy.