Clinical Condition and Management of 114 Mamushi (Gloydius blomhoffii) Bites in a General Hospital in Japan

OBJECTIVE: Mamushi (Gloydius blomhoffii) snakebite is the most common type of snake injury in Japan and is also seen in China and Korea. Although the components of Mamushi venom have been investigated, epidemiological and clinical descriptions still remain limited in the English literature. The aim of this study was to review the clinical features and management of patients with injuries related to Mamushi snakebites. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective examination of 114 Mamushi snakebite cases encountered at a general hospital in Japan from January 2004 to November 2016. Data were collected from the medical records. RESULTS: We found that Mamushi snakebites commonly occurred during summer and the daytime, with elderly men typically being affected. The symptom grade at initial consultation was significantly worse in the walk-in group than in the ambulance admission group, probably due to treatment delay. The number of fangs that pierced the skin was not related to the severity of the symptoms. The group treated with a tourniquet more frequently exhibited exacerbation of symptoms than those that received other treatments (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The delay between patients being bitten and arriving at hospital as well as the number of fangs that pierced the skin did not affect the duration of hospitalization; however, proximal tourniquation should be avoided in such cases, as significant exacerbation of local symptoms was observed when this procedure was applied.