Steve Irwin's Revenge
Marine Animals
Marine Animals
Most envenomation's than by any other marine animal
Coelenterates
How do we treat snake bites?
Splint extremity and keep it lower than the heart, if bit on trunk keep patient calm and lay supine. Try and get picture of the snake.
Ticks
Bite is not painful, but can cause disease
-Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: 7-10 days post bite, nausea, vomiting, headache, weakness, paralysis, cardiorespiratory collapse
-Lyme Disease : bull's eye rash, pain in joints, may recover completely if treated early on
-AGS (alpha-gal syndrome): allergic reaction to red meat following lone star tick bite
Prevents blood from clotting
Hemotoxin
Factors that affect exposure
Physical condition, age, nutrition/hydration, and environmental conditions
Name the Coelenterates
Fire coral, Man-O-War, Sea Wasp, Sea Nettles, True jellyfish, Sea anemones, True Coral, Soft Coral
How many species of snakes do we have and how many are venomous?
115 different species, only 19 ae venomous
The two spiders most concerning in the US
Black widow and Brown recluse
Causes damage to cells through destruction (lyse or apoptosis)
Cytotoxin
Descent emergencies
Usually a problem equalizing and pain will force diver to RTS or seek medical attention for tympanic membrane eval.
Painful red lesions that extend in a line from the sting, headache, dizziness, muscle cramps, fainting
Pit Vipers
-Rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths (water moccasins)
-Triangular-shaped, and flat head. Cat like eyes with pits located just behind each nostril and in front of each eye
-Always look ticked off
Black Widow
Found in every state but Alaska
Venom causes damage to the nerve tissue
Symptoms include: Dizziness, Sweating, Nausea, Vomiting, Rashes, Tightness in chest, severe cramps
Subsides after 48 hours
Muscle and nerve disruption - cramps, spams pain
Myotoxin
Ascent Emergencies
-Air Embolism: bubbles of air in blood vessels. Air pressure in the lungs remains high while pressure on the chest decreases, immediately at surface
- Decompressions sickness (the bends), bubbles of gas (mainly nitrogen), obstruct blood vessels. Can be from rapid ascent, too long of a deep dive, too short surface interval, usually causes a lot of pain in joints/abdomen, can take several hours
-both require hyperbaric treatment
Heat it to treat it!
Toxins from the spines of urchins, stingrays, and spiny fish (lionfish, scorpion fish, stonefish)
Most common Pit Vipers?
Rattlesnakes : can grow to 6ft or longer, many patterns of color usually in a diamond pattern
Copperheads: usually 2-3ft long, red-copper color crossed with brown and red bands, bites are rarely fatal but cause significant damage to extremities
Cottonmouths: Olive or brown with black cross-bands and a yellow undersurface, mean water snakes, cause severe tissue destruction
Brown Recluse
Lives mostly in the southern and central parts of the country
Venom is cytotoxic, not painful at first but will be within hours.
Area becomes swollen and tender with a pale, mottled, and cyanotic center
Nerve and brain effects - disrupts bodily function
neurotoxin
Drowning
Last cycle of events caused by panic in the water, only requires 2in of water, can cause a laryngospasm which prevents water from getting into the lungs and the ability to breathe, eventually becomes unresponsive
Name a many marine animals in the area you can think of and how you would treat contact with them?
1. Limit further discharge of nematocysts by avoiding fresh water, wet sand, showers, or careless manipulation of the tentacles.
2. Keep the patient calm and reduce motion of the affected extremity.
3. Remove the remaining tentacles by scraping them off with the edge of a sharp, stiff object.
4. Immersion in vinegar may also help alleviate the symptoms.
5. Provide transport to the emergency department.
Coral Snakes
"Red on Yellow, kill a fellow", usually bites on a small part of body like fingers or toes due to their small size, can cause paralysis of nervous system starting with bizarre behavior and ending with paralysis of respiratory system
Scorpions
Primarily in the southwest, most are painful but not dangerous
Exception: Centruroides sculpturatus
-circulatory collapse, severe muscle contractions, excessive salivation, hypertension, convulsions, and cardiac failure
Disrupts heart function - dysrhythmias and cardiac death
Cardiotoxins
Lightening
There are an estimated 25 million cloud-to-ground lightning strikes each year in the United States.
Lightning is the fifth most common cause of death from isolated environmental phenomena.
Many individuals are indirectly struck when standing near an object that has been struck by lightning, such as a tree (splash effect)