In the Lviv region, during a family fishing trip by a lake, a viper bit a child. The parents promptly took the injured girl to St Nicholas Children’s Hospital of the First Medical Association of Lviv, where doctors managed to stop the spread of the venom and prevent serious consequences.
According to the doctors, the child ran to the water to check the catch in the net and did not notice the snake that had become tangled inside. The reptile bit her on the middle finger, leaving characteristic bite marks. The mother recognised the attacker as a small viper. The family quickly gathered their things and drove to Lviv.
Approximately 10 minutes after the bite, the finger began to hurt and swell, and by the time they arrived at the hospital the swelling had already spread to the whole hand. The hospital explains that viper venom acts rapidly, damages tissues, poses a risk to the nervous system and kidneys, and can disrupt blood clotting, so there must be no delay in seeking help.
The child was immediately admitted to the intensive care unit. Anaesthetists stabilised her condition and prescribed conservative treatment, while surgeons continuously monitored the progress of the injury. Thanks to the coordinated work of the team, they managed to contain the swelling and avoid surgery.
By the next day the child’s condition had improved and she was transferred from intensive care to the surgical ward. She was discharged home on the ninth day, after her test results had returned to normal.
Doctors stress that in the event of a snake bite, it is essential to seek medical attention as quickly as possible. The bite site should be freed from clothing and jewellery, the affected limb immobilised using any available means, and, if possible, the wound rinsed with water and covered with a clean medical dressing.
At the same time, it is strictly forbidden to apply a tourniquet, suck out the venom, cauterise the bite site or make cuts. In all cases, you should go immediately to the nearest medical facility.
«Swelling from a viper bite increases over hours — it is very fast. You must not wait until the weekend is over or until morning. As soon as such an injury occurs, go straight to a medical facility,» emphasises paediatric surgeon Larysa Shevchenko.