Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Videos

Respiratory failure following envenomation.

L D Karalliedde¹, P S Sanmuganathan

¹Department of Anaesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Teaching Hospital, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.

|September 1, 1988

Summary

Krait bites can cause respiratory failure due to neurotoxic venom affecting the neuromuscular junction. Prompt ventilatory support was life-saving for a patient experiencing paralysis after a krait (Bungarus) envenomation.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

The challenge of traditional Chinese medicines for allopathic practitioners.

American journal of physiology. Heart and circulatory physiology·2009

Same author

Variables influencing the toxic response to organophosphates in humans.

Food and chemical toxicology : an international journal published for the British Industrial Biological Research Association·2002

Same author

Aspirin for primary prevention. Treatment policy should be based on all trial evidence, not subgroup analysis.

BMJ (Clinical research ed.)·2001

Same author

Aspirin for primary prevention of coronary heart disease: safety and absolute benefit related to coronary risk derived from meta-analysis of randomised trials.

Heart (British Cardiac Society)·2001

Same author

General anesthesia for disabled patients in dental practice.

Anesthesia progress·1999

Same author

Myasthenic syndrome of snake envenomation: a clinical and neurophysiological study.

Postgraduate medical journal·1999

Area of Science:

Toxicology
Neuroscience
Clinical Medicine

Background:

Envenomation by certain snake species, particularly kraits (Bungarus), poses a significant risk of respiratory compromise.
The neurotoxic components of krait venom, such as bungarotoxins, are known to target the neuromuscular junction, leading to paralysis.

Observation:

A case study detailing a patient who developed severe muscle paralysis and subsequent respiratory failure following a krait bite.
The patient required mechanical ventilatory support to manage respiratory insufficiency.

Findings:

The observed paralysis was specifically linked to neuromuscular junction blockade by bungarotoxins.
Importantly, the patient did not exhibit concurrent cardiac, renal, or coagulation abnormalities, isolating the primary issue to respiratory muscle function.
Mechanical ventilation was successfully implemented and proved crucial for the patient's survival.

Implications:

This case highlights the critical role of ventilatory care in managing respiratory failure secondary to krait envenomation.
Early recognition and intervention with respiratory support can be life-saving in neurotoxic snakebite cases.
Further research into the specific mechanisms and management of krait venom-induced neuromuscular paralysis is warranted.

Related Experiment Videos