Ligature-Incision-Suction Compared with Amputation in the Treatment of Rabbits Inoculated with Crotalid Venoms *

Abstract

The results of treatment by amputation or by variations of ligature-incisionsuction (LIS) were compared in New Zealand rabbits inoculated with three lethal doses of either the cytotoxic venom of Crotalus adamanteus or the neurotoxic venom of Crotalus durissus terrificus, pit vipers of the Western Hemisphere. Reconstituted, whole, lyophilized venom was injected subcutaneously into the left hind leg of each anesthetized rabbit. The survival for more than 48 hours of 17 of 21 rabbits inoculated with the venom of C. adamanteus and treated by amputation 8, 15. or 30 minutes later confirmed the superiority of amputation in saving life; but the survival of 25 of 83 rabbits treated for 10 minutes by LIS begun ½, 1, 2, or 8 minutes after inoculation showed that LIS can also be effective against this venom in rabbits if used promptly, but not against that of C. d. terrificus. Local discoloration and necrosis caused by the venom of C. adamanteus were less when rabbits were placed with the inoculated side down than when they were not. Cooling combined with LIS in a few rabbits apparently did not affect the survival rate of animals inoculated with either venom; warming after prompt LIS in a small sample slightly increased the rate of survival with the venom of C. adamanteus only.