Doctors at Hadassah Ein Kerem in Jerusalem saved the life of a 12-year-old Palestinian girl from Ramallah.  The girl was bitten by a viper in the yard of her home, and arrived at the hospital in serious condition after midnight, two hours after the bite.

The girl was taken to the hospital in Ramallah first, and received one vial of antivenin serum, which was all the hospital had.  By the end of her treatment she had received four more vials at Hadassah.

The manager of emergency medicine at Hadassah, Dr. Kobi Assaf said “The girl arrived with swelling at the site of the bite, and swelling in her throat that caused difficulty in speaking and the beginning of breathing problems, and with stomach cramps and vomiting.”

According to Dr. Assaf, the bite of a viper can cause serious swelling that can cause restriction of blood flow in the area of the bite, and in extreme cases can close off blood flow entirely.  Further he said that because family members caught the snake and brought it with the patient to Hadassah, emergency doctors were able to diagnose and treat her very quickly.  According to Dr. Assaf, it was a large snake, and the family did well in bringing the girl for treatment within two hours of the bite.

The girl is still hospitalized in the Pediatrics Department where she is in good condition.  Her leg is still immobilized and anaesthetized to prevent its movement.