From Bite to Bleed-out: Managing Vasculotoxic Snakebite Induced Catastrophic Complications in Resource Constrained Settings

Snake bite envenomation is a serious but under-reported disease in sub-Saharan Africa, especially among the rural population who frequently experience catastrophic complications.The management of these complications can be challenging for the attending physician in resource constrained settings.Herein, is a case of a 27-year-old farmer referred to our hospital with two weeks history of snakebite on his left thumb.Three days after the bite, he presented to a rural hospital with spontaneous bleeding from the gum and at the site of a previous traumatic foot ulcer which resulted in a transfusion of seven pints of blood but no anti-snake venom therapy.Nine days after spontaneous gum bleeding, he developed progressive abdominal swelling and passage of melena at the local hospital which necessitated his referral.