A man in the Netherlands became the first case of "scrotal necrosis," according to his doctors, after a highly venomous, snouted cobra bit his testicles from inside a toilet.
The man, 47, was on vacation in South Africa at a wildlife reserve who took a trip to the privy when the snake made its attack. After being bit, he had to wait for three hours for a helicopter to fly him to the nearest trauma center, Vice reported.
During the three hours, he reported having a burning pain spread from his genitals up in his abdomen and chest.
After he got to the hospital, doctors found him with "swollen genitals with a deep purple discoloration, indicating scrotal necrosis," the researchers reported.
Related
The doctors administered eight doses of snake venom antiserum and other medications to try and control his fever, dialysis because of injury to his kidneys, and debridement of his sack and shaft that resulted in genital tissue being excised.
The man was transported from South Africa to the Netherlands after nine days. Doctors documented his case as the first to detail what happens when a snouted cobra sinks its venom into a man's genitals.
The results were published in the journal Urology Case Reports.
To save the man's genitals, a plastic surgeon patched his shaft with a skin graft, and he has regained function.
In their report, the doctors shared a message, saying, "Our take-home message? Always flush the toilet before sitting down in countries notorious for their snake population!"
Related
