[A rare cause of compartment syndrome of the forearm and hand following snake bite injury].

With the intention to commit suicide a 25 year old patient was bitten by his own rattle snake. At the time of the admission the skin of the right forearm was dark, a hemorrhagic necrotizing colour, and the patient was in shock. He was immediately taken to the intensive care unit and the shock symptoms were treated there. Parasthesias in the area of the nervus medianus were also noticed. The treatment included an antiserum and the release of the tourniquet which caused a further increase of the swelling of the forearm. The lesion led to a hemorrhagic necrotizing inflammation. The surgical incision of the loge of Guyon, the carpal channel, the forearm and proximal of the lacertus fibrosus was persuaded. The circulation improved immediately and after three weeks the nerval function had recovered. The skin defect was covered 14 days after the first operation with meshgraft.