[A Rare Case in Hand Surgery: Adder Bite in an Index Finger]

Abstract

The common European adder is an endangered animal species in Europe. Despite its endangerment, snake bite injuries do occur from time to time, even in Germany. This is a poisoning emergency. Detailed numbers concerning the incidence or lethality of adder bites in Germany do not exist. Only 13% of all cases have a severe course of disease, with children and elderly people prevailing in this patient group. We report the benign course of an adder bite injury of the index finger of a 60-year-old zoologist, which healed completely under symptomatic treatment and surveillance without any operative intervention.