Failure of electric shock treatment for rattlesnake envenomation

Annals of Emergency Medicine
Volume 20, Issue 6 , Pages 659-661, June 1991

Richard C Dart*, †, Richard A Gustafson*

* Section of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, USA
† Arizona Poison and Drug Information Center, University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, USA

The use of high-voltage electric shock therapy for the treatment of snake venom poisoning has recently gained popularity in the United States. We present a case that documents the dangerous, ineffective application of electric shock to the face of a patient envenomated by a Great Basin rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis lutosus). The successful use of antivenin in this critically ill, antivenin-allergic patient is described.

http://www.annemergmed.com/article/S0196-0644%2805%2982389-3/abstract