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Thread: Black mamba bite
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06-01-2017, 17:08 #1
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- Feb 2010
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Black mamba bite
Mamba bite lephalale area:
Was phoned at 08h30 with news of mamba bite victim on his way to hospital. Would be transported with four seater helicopter (game catcher's) and ETA 09h05. Bitten at 08h00.
Eventually arrived 09h25, patient had difficulty to breathe, but conscious.
Was riding motorbike on game farm and watching blue wildebeest, when he felt something strike his right leg. Looked back, and saw a 2 m mamba in the road.
Two fang marks in middle of lower leg lateral side. Fang marks 15 mm apart, had been "dragged" over skin, due to speed of bike.
Patient given oxygen mask, breathing spontaneous and kept oxygen sats at 97%.
Cortisone and promethazine given intravenously. One amp of polivalent antivenom given IV. Patient observed for ten minutes for possible allergic reaction. No allergy. 5 Amps prepared in side-drip and started IV.
After 10 minutes itching and red skin rash. Adrenalin (diluted) given and antivenom stopped. Rash went away. Antivenom started again - rash came back. Antivenom stopped - adrenalin given again. Rash went away but more slowly than first time. Antivenom not restarted.
Patient admitted to high-care ward. Stable for now.
Lessons learned:
- observe patient for at least 30 minutes after first dose of antivenom, for allergic reactions.
-This patient, if again bitten by a snake, should probably not get antivenom again.
Consider Neostigmin (Anaesthetic muscle relaxant reversal) in case of neurotoxic bites.
Sorry no pics, I have forgotten how to upload them!
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06-01-2017, 17:10 #2
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Re: Black mamba bite
Holy f*ckballs...
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06-01-2017, 17:14 #3
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Re: Black mamba bite
Am I understanding correctly, he was bitten while in motion on the bike or was he stationary?
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06-01-2017, 17:20 #4
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- Apr 2013
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Re: Black mamba bite
Nicely done Doc.
Stay Bladed.
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06-01-2017, 17:28 #5
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Re: Black mamba bite
Was riding his bike with his attention on a herd of Blue wildebeest. Was bitten in motion, and only saw the snake afterwards.
Probably only a small amount of venom injected because of the bike "ripping him away".
Enough though to cause some neurologic symptoms.
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06-01-2017, 17:35 #6
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- Apr 2011
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Re: Black mamba bite
Thank you Doc, well done :)
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06-01-2017, 17:49 #7
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- Jun 2009
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Re: Black mamba bite
Yip Black Mamba is not a nice bite. Friend of mine in KZN got bitten by a Moz Spitting Cobra and only just recovered when she was bitten by a Black Mamba. She nearly did not make it.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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06-01-2017, 18:05 #8
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Re: Black mamba bite
Hi Willie would you please share this with The Snakes of Southern Africa Facebook page. I know there are a lot of people there that follow bite stats very closely
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06-01-2017, 19:50 #9
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Re: Black mamba bite
Interesting story. Living in black mamba territory I have also had a few close encounters. I also had one strike at me while riding a dirtbike. Fortunately it missed me and got the bike's side cover just behind my calf. That was close...
Strongs to the victim. The black mamba bite survivors club is small and very exclusive.
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06-01-2017, 20:00 #10
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- Oct 2012
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- Malawi
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Re: Black mamba bite
Out of curiosity, would a mamba's fangs penetrate a jean?
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