Wash the area with fresh water. Remove any foreign material at the wound site. Contact an emergency room. Soak wound in the hottest water the patient can tolerate for 30-90 minutes, if instructed to do so.
Before Calling Emergency:
Determine the following information:
the patient's age, weight, and condition
name of the marine animal
the time of the sting
the area on the body of the sting
Poison Control, or a local emergency number:
They will instruct you if it is necessary to take the patient to the hospital, and any appropriate first aid that can be administered prior to arrival.
What to expect at the emergency room:
Some or all of the following procedures may be performed:
Wash the area.
Remove any foreign material possible.
Soak the wound.
Give antitetanus if necessary.
Give antibiotic if necessary.
Give antiserum .
Treat the symptoms.
Expectations (prognosis):
Recovery usually takes about 24-48 hours. Death has occurred when the patient's chest or abdomen was punctured.
Review Date: 2/13/2006
Reviewed By: Eric Perez, M.D., Department of Emergency Medicine, St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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