Scorpion bite-induced unilateral pulmonary oedema

A 24-year-old woman came to the emergency room of our hospital, 6 hours after a sting to the pulp of her middle finger of her left upper limb by an Indian red scorpion. On examination, she had tachycardia, tachypnoea, hypotension and low oxygen saturation at room temperature. On auscultation, there was poor air entry in all areas of the right lung along with crackles. The left lung field was normal on auscultation. Chest X-ray showed unilateral haziness of right lung field. Two-dimensional echocardiography showed clinical findings of myocarditis. Arterial blood gas showed metabolic acidosis with severe hypoxaemia, suggestive of type 1 respiratory failure. After intubation and initiating ventillatory support, the patient was given intravenous analgesics, antihistaminic and infiltrated of site of bite with 2% xylocaine. The patient was started on inotropes, alpha receptor blocker, intravenous steroids, bronchodilators and diuretics support. The patient clinically improved over the course of treatment and was subsequently discharged.