[Scorpionfish (Scorpaena plumieri) envenomation in a fishing and turistic community of Paraguaná peninsula, Falcón state, Venezuela: clinical, epidemiological and treatment aspects].

Thirty six patients apparently envenomed by the scorpion fish Scorpaena plumieri, consulting to the ambulatory emergency of a fishing and turistic town Adícora, state Falcón, Venezuela, from December 2006 to April 2007, allowed us to carry out a descriptive analysis of the clinical, epidemiology and treatment of this envenoming. Envenomation percentages were not significantly different between sex or age (X2=0.03, p= 0.758; X2=0.06; p=0.81, respectively). Most of the accidents occurred in february and april (> 50%), in the afternoon (83.33%) when individuals were bathing or swimming at the beach (97.22%), suggesting a seasonal pattern. The time between ambulatory medical assistance and the accident varied from 3 to 30 minutes, with a mean time of 5.97 +/- 4.39. The cutting injuries were located at the feet in all patients, with 0.2 to 3 cm (X=1.04 +/- 0.86) of length and between 1 to 2 mm of width. Clinical manifestations observed were: intense and irradiated pain (100%) (VAS=X: 9.39 +/- 0.60), edema (27.78%) and erythema (22.22%). One case had systemic manifestations: hypotension and faintness. Treatment consisted of infiltration with lidocaine (1%), systemic anti-inflmatory-analgesia (100 mg, orally every 8 hours for 5 days) and antibiotic therapy per os (500 mg, 2 daily dose for 10 days). All patients had a satisfactory post-treatment evolution, between 5 to 120 (X=30.11 +/- 33.30) minutes, with a pain VAS mean values significantly lower (0.72 +/- 0.62; t=52.2, p=0.0001).