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- Title
Stingray injury in a domestic aquarium.
- Authors
Schiera, Alberto; Battifoglio, Maria Luisa; Scarabelli, Gabriele; Crippa, Dario
- Abstract
A 36-year-old man presented with acute blistering on the dorsal aspect of his left hand and a bullous eruption on the dorsal aspect of the fingers, which were erythematous and edematous. A small, deep laceration, partially covered by a crust, was also visible on the same hand (Fig. 1). The patient stated that he had been stung by a freshwater stingray (Potamotrygon reticulatus ) (Fig. 2) while he was feeding the animal in his aquarium. He complained of quite intense pain, beginning a few minutes after envenomation at the site of the injury, and progressively extending into the surrounding areas. He received intravenous fentanyl + morphine + tramadol, while the affected part was immersed in hot water (45 °C) in order to denature the heat-labile venom and provide pain relief. The patient refused prophylactic injection of tetanus toxoid. The area was infiltrated with 1% lidocaine and examined carefully. Pieces of foreign material were removed. The wound was thoroughly irrigated and cleansed with antiseptic solution and left open. A plain radiographic study of the injured area excluded retained barbs or other foreign material. A neurologic examination revealed reduction of tactile sensitivity at the distal part of the left forearm and fingers. There were no obvious abnormal physical signs: electrocardiogram was normal, as well as blood pressure, heart rate and temperature. The patient received a prophylactic short course of oral antibiotic therapy with an advanced generation cephalosporin and a macrolide. Over the next 2 months, the wound healed slowly by second intention, the wound was allowed to heal from the edge without surgical closure. At a 5-month follow-up visit, the wound appeared to be completely healed, although the patient still complained of sporadic para-anesthesia of the left hand and forearm.
- Subjects
POTAMOTRYGON; SKIN diseases; BITES &; stings
- Publication
International Journal of Dermatology, 2002, Vol 41, Issue 1, p50
- ISSN
0011-9059
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1046/j.1365-4362.2002.1333_4.x