What is an alternative measure that could be utilized to identify retained snake fangs other than radiography?
Ultrasound; literature suggests this may be a viable option for identification of retained foreign bodies such as snake fangs or teeth. It’s availability at the beside and lack of radiation makes it a potentially more practical modality.
Rushton WF, Vakkalanka JP, Moak JH, Charlton NP. Negative predictive value of excluding an embedded snake foreign body by ultrasonography. Wilderness Environ Med. 2015 Jun;26(2):227-31. doi: 10.1016/j.wem.2014.12.015. Epub 2015 Mar 11. PMID: 25771031.
Submitted by: Chiemela Ubani, PharmD and Dawn Sollee, PharmD on behalf of Florida/USVI Poison Information Center – Jacksonville
Posted in Question Of The Day