Crown-of-Thorns starfish envenomation
Background [1]
- A central disk with radiating arms
- More than 15 arms
- Densely covered with spines
- Adults are often dull brown to green colored
- some may have bright colors to warn predators
- Range from 9-14 inches in diameter
Mechanism[2]
- Spines pierce the skin and cause severe pain
- Lasting <3 hours
- Spines are coated with a slime that is extremely toxic
Clinical Features[3]
- In severe cases can cause paralysis, hemolysis, & hepatotoxicity
- Paresthesia
- Nausea & vomiting
- Secondary infection
Differential Diagnosis
Marine toxins, envenomations, and bites
- Toxins
- Ciguatera
- Scombroid
- Tetrodotoxin (e.g. pufferfish)
- Shellfish poisoning
- Amnesic shellfish poisoning
- Diarrheal shellfish poisoning
- Neurotoxic shellfish poisoning
- Paralytic shellfish poisoning
- Stingers
- Venomous fish
- Cone shell
- Lionfish
- Sea urchins
- Crown-of-Thorns Starfish
- Stonefish
- Other: Catfish, zebrafish, scorpion fish
- Nematocysts
- Coral reef
- Fire coral
- Jellyfish (Cnidaria)
- Portuguese man-of-war
- Sea anemones
- Seabather's eruption
- Phylum porifera (sponges)
- Bites
- Infections
Management[4]
- Emersion in non-scalding water up to 45°C & Local lidocaine for pain control
- Remove spines/foreign bodies
- If spines are intraarticular or near neurovascular structures they need to be carefully removed in the OR
- Thorough irrigation
- Update tetanus vaccination if needed
- Prophylactic antibiotics for deep puncture wounds
Disposition
- If hemodynamically stable, patient may be discharged home
See Also
References
- ↑ Hauglid, Christopher, DO, et al. “EMERGEN-SEA MEDICINE: An Overview of Sea Urchins, Coral, Starfish, and More.” ACEP Now, vol. 40, no. 7, 2021, pp. 8–9.
- ↑ Hauglid, Christopher, DO, et al. “EMERGEN-SEA MEDICINE: An Overview of Sea Urchins, Coral, Starfish, and More.” ACEP Now, vol. 40, no. 7, 2021, pp. 8–9.
- ↑ Hauglid, Christopher, DO, et al. “EMERGEN-SEA MEDICINE: An Overview of Sea Urchins, Coral, Starfish, and More.” ACEP Now, vol. 40, no. 7, 2021, pp. 8–9.
- ↑ Hauglid, Christopher, DO, et al. “EMERGEN-SEA MEDICINE: An Overview of Sea Urchins, Coral, Starfish, and More.” ACEP Now, vol. 40, no. 7, 2021, pp. 8–9.