An analytical study of Mammalian bite wounds requiring inpatient management

Complex Wound Closure Following Mysterious and Vicious Animal Attack

Animal attacks are a worrisome and dangerous entity that occur at high volumes and are evaluated frequently by ER physicians, primary care physicians, trauma teams, acute care surgeons, and plastic surgeons. The severity of animal attacks can range from a small insect sting to mauling by large animal, and even death. With animal attacks of high intensity, there is often significant scratching, tearing, shearing, with destruction of the skin, subcutaneous tissues, muscles, and bone. Serious attacks frequently lead to infection, sepsis, pain, loss of sensation or mobility, operative interventions, and amputations of affected limbs. We report herein the traumatic mauling of a woman by a reported unknown animal. Though the entity of animal attacks has been reported in the past, this case dictates presentation given the suspicious circumstances surrounding the attack, the involvement of her care requiring a multidisciplinary surgical approach via trauma surgery and plastic surgery, multiple extensive interventions, and the excellent take of the split thickness skin graft (STSG) after the use of a dermal regeneration template (DRT).

Facial dog bite injuries in children: A case report

INTRODUCTION

Dog bites are common and can affect victims of different ages, from children to the elderly. Injuries are usually located in different body regions, including head and face. The treatment of choice for injuries is the suture of the lesion, accompanied by antibiotic therapy and tetanus and anti-rabies vaccination.

PRESENTATION OF CASE

An 11-year-old male black patient was admitted to the Surgery and Maxillo-Facial Traumatology Service, on an urgent basis, victim of domestic animal aggression (dog biting). The child had multiple and extensive lesions on the face, trauma with laceration with loss of substance, involving the left genic region, lower and upper lip, and lower gingival-labial sulcus.

DISCUSSION

Smaller children are especially vulnerable to injuries in the craniofacial region due their low stature, propensity to crawl/play on the ground and exploratory behavior. The primary treatment of bites is by means of direct suture, grafting or local flaps, depending on the type of wound and the surgeon's decision, regardless of time elapsed from the attack.

CONCLUSION

This case shows a case of a child patient victim of animal bite, with lesions limited to the region of the face. The patient was followed up for a month and showed good wound healing without any complications.

Reconstruction of face and scalp after dog bites in children

ABSTRACT Objective: to evaluate the immediate reconstruction of face and scalp after canine bites in children. Methods: we conducted a prospective series of cases treated at the Emergency Unit of the Asa Norte Regional Hospital, Brasília - DF, from January 1999 to December 2014. At the time of patient admission to the emergency, the primary wound closure of the face and scalp bite was performed, regardless of the time or day of the event. The primary treatment of the bites was by means of direct suture, flaps rotation or grafting, depending on the type of wound and surgeon's decision. Results: the study comprised 146 children, with the zygomatic region and scalp being the main sites of head bites. All patients received surgical treatment within the first 24 hours after admission. There were no infectious complications in the cases studied. Conclusion: the findings suggest that the immediate closure of canine bites on the face and scalp in children is safe, even when carried out several hours after injury.

Osteomyelitis following Domestic Animal Bites to the Hand: Two Case Reports and Practical Guidelines

Recently, the number of cases of animal bite wounds has increased significantly in concordance with an increase in the pet population around the world. The authors report two rare cases of osteomyelitis of the phalanx following cat and dog bites. On initial physical examination, signs of a severe infection were observed. Radiographs of both patients showed the presence of osteomyelitis, and in one of the patients, the diagnosis was confirmed with a bone biopsy. After use of empirical antibiotics, intravenous antibiotic therapy that matched the identified bacterium's sensitivity was initiated, and at the same time, secure dressing including debridement was performed to induce secondary healing. In addition, the patients were closely monitored with serial X-rays, and culture and blood test follow-up. One patient fully recovered without sequelae, but the other patient suffered a loss of distal interphalangeal joint motion. When dealing with bite wounds located on the hand, it is important to visit the hospital as soon as possible and receive the appropriate treatment early. Moreover, to prevent severe complications such as osteomyelitis, it is important to administer antibiotic therapy to which the cultured bacteria are sensitive, along with proper wound management and prophylactic antibiotic treatment.

Mammalian bite injuries to the hand and their management

Bite wounds are a common form of hand injury with the potential to lead to severe local and systemic sequelae and permanent functional impairment. Mammalian bite wounds may be caused by a variety of animal class and species; injuries resulting from dogs, cats and humans are the most widely discussed and reported in the literature. Bite wounds may be contaminated with aggressive pathogens and the anatomical vulnerability of structures within the hand means that without early recognition and treatment with irrigation and antibiotics, alongside a low index of suspicion for deep structural involvement requiring formal surgical exploration and washout, the consequences of such injuries can be disastrous. We review the literature and discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology and microbiology relating to these injuries, as well as clinical aspects including signs, symptoms, and management.

Self inflicted human teeth bites: a case report

Human infighting has been a part of our civilization since times immemorial. These incidences may go unnoticed or may attract attention of law enforcing agencies depending upon the severity of the offence. Though weapons are generally employed to inflict injuries, rare cases have been reported in literature where human teeth have been used to serve this purpose. Human bites may be self inflicted or self suffered in connivance with others to level an allegation against an adversary. We are presenting here such a case where such injuries were produced to bring a false charge against a neighbor.