A 47-year-old man was left with a rotting private part after being bitten by a snake in South Africa.
The man from the Netherlands was on a safari when he was bitten by a cobra hiding in the toilet.
He was left in severe agony for three hours before he was rushed to the nearest trauma center about 350km away, according to Urology Case Reports.
According to the report, the man vomited and it was the first case of a cobra (Naja annulifera) biting someone’s private part.
As soon as the 47-year-old was admitted to the hospital, his privates “were noted to be swollen, deep purple in color and painful.”
“Scrotal necrosis was diagnosed, and he received multiple doses of a non-specific snake venom antiserum and broad-spectrum antibiotics,” the medical report stated.
“The scrotal necrosis was reported to involve the entire fascia (skin to internal spermatic) and was excised with extensive margins. Primary closure was performed, leaving a drain in situ,” Urology Case Reports said.
The 47-year-old needed hemodialysis because of an acute kidney injury before he returned to the Netherlands, where he underwent reconstructive surgery.
“After a further 6 days, a full-thickness graft was harvested from the groin and placed over the penile defect,” the report adds.
“Renal function gradually improved by 2 weeks after repatriation (eGFR, 43 mL/min/1.73m 2 ), at which point he was discharged.”
When he went for a follow-up one year later, sensation and function had already been regained.
Researchers who wrote the report concluded: “Our take home message? Always flush the toilet before sitting down in countries notorious for their snake population!”
One person commented: “The snake must have thought it was looking at another snake lol.”
Another wrote: “Make sure you check the blind spot before you squat.”
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