Treatment plan for jellyfish stings

Jellyfish stings are local or systemic reactive skin diseases caused by acute allergic and toxic reactions to jellyfish (also known as jellyfish) through skin contact. With the arrival of summer, there have been a number of incidents of jellyfish stinging swimmers in the city’s coastal baths. The jellyfish has a large number of stinging cells on its tentacles, which contain venom, and its components are mainly protein-like, peptides and a variety of toxic enzymes, in addition to strong anesthetics, painkillers, histamines, etc. The patient has only local symptoms from a mild sting, but a severe sting can cause systemic allergic reactions and/or toxic symptoms, and even death in severe cases. (The local symptoms are: an electric shock-like stinging sensation immediately after the sting, the local erythema and papules gradually appearing in a linear arrangement, and the marks are mostly in the same direction as the tentacle contact, as if they were whip marks, and itching is obvious. For those who are seriously injured or have allergies, erythema, blisters, petechiae, and even epidermal necrosis will appear immediately, and the pain can be unbearable, followed by flushing and itching of the skin all over the body. The symptoms usually last 10-20 days, and some may last for several months. (The main reason for this is that it is a good idea to have a good idea of what you are looking for. 2, the nervous system: discomfort, headache, cold or heat sensation, vertigo, movement disorders, spastic or flaccid paralysis, polyneuritis, delirium, syncope, deficiency or shock, and other symptoms. 3. Circulatory system: The most common complications are allergic reaction, hemolysis, arrhythmia, slowed heart rate, hypotension and congestive heart failure. 4. Motor system: manifested as diffuse myalgia, arthralgia, back pain, muscle spasms and rectus abdominis muscle ankylosis, etc. 5. Digestive system: manifested as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, swallowing difficulties and salivation, etc. 6.Other: such as conjunctivitis, bulbar conjunctival edema, corneal ulcer, lacrimation, etc. The patient has a clear history of exposure to jellyfish, and the diagnosis can be made based on the history and clinical manifestations. (a) Light cases: patients only have local skin reactions. (2) Heavy cases: In addition to local skin reactions, patients with any other organ system damage can be diagnosed as heavy cases. In a few patients, the disease progresses rapidly, with clinical symptoms such as acute pulmonary edema suddenly appearing within 10 minutes to 6 hours, and in severe cases, the patient suddenly dies. (iii) Early identification of serious patients: Patients with one of the following conditions have the possibility of developing complications and turning into serious cases, and must be given high attention and transferred to designated hospitals for treatment at the same time. 1.Patients with allergic constitution; 2.Patients with large skin injury and heavy degree of skin reaction; 3.Patients with body temperature ≥ 38℃; 4.Patients with respiratory symptoms: such as chest tightness, shortness of breath, difficulty in breathing, blood oxygen saturation ≤ 95%; 5.Patients with decreased blood pressure; 6.Patients with cardiac arrhythmia; 7.Patients with nausea and vomiting; 8.Patients with other serious complications. When a patient has one of the above symptoms, the designated hospital should conduct the following tests: 1) routine blood test; 2) chest X-ray; 3) electrocardiogram; 4) blood gas analysis. When the patient’s condition changes, the vital signs should be monitored at all times and must be reviewed in a timely manner. The patient should go ashore immediately after contact with the jellyfish and rinse the sting with sea water, remember not to use fresh water. The rescuer should wear gloves to avoid getting stung himself. The patient should go to the hospital as soon as possible, flush with 5%-10% sodium bicarbonate (or saturated alum solution), and wet compress the affected area with sodium bicarbonate solution for more than half an hour each time, several times a day. Also can be used for topical application of furnace glycolic lotion or local rubbing hormone ointment. (ii) Conventional treatment: In addition to local treatment of patients, timely application of antihistamines, such as oral paracetamol or intramuscular injection of benadryl. If necessary, glucocorticoid therapy should be given. (iii) Closely observe changes in the condition of critically ill patients and monitor them closely. When patients develop hypoxemia, give oxygen and glucocorticoids immediately. Use ventilator as soon as possible if one of the following symptoms occurs 1.Severe symptoms of respiratory distress with respiratory rate ≥ 30 times/min; 2.When high-flow oxygen (≥ 4L/min) and blood sample saturation ≤ 93%; 3.Patients with foamy sputum, croup and wet sounds on lung auscultation, and diffuse changes on X-ray chest film; 4.Patients with symptoms of shock due to decreased blood pressure. (iv) Symptomatic treatment: 1. Prevention and treatment of infection, early application of broad-spectrum antibiotics. 2, control arrhythmias: such as sinus tachycardia, available beta1-receptor antagonist; bradycardia and sinus block can be injected atropine. When heart failure occurs, use tachycardia, generally without cardiac drugs. 3, cardiac arrest rescue: immediate cardiothoracic compressions; anaphylaxis should be promptly controlled pulmonary edema; also appropriate application of antihypertensive drugs, such as alamine, dobutamine, etc.. If the pain is severe, you can give morphine dulcolax and other symptomatic. Severe muscle spasm, can be given 10% calcium gluconate or Valium sedation symptomatic treatment. 4, hypotensive patients immediately injected lactate Ringer solution. Bronchospasm and dyspnea, apply epinephrine, glucocorticoids, bronchodilators, etc., and give oxygen or artificial respiration to relieve symptoms. Pulmonary edema may be treated with 654-2 and tachyphylaxis. In a few patients with acute progressive renal failure, hemodialysis is required. 4. Discharge (or discharge) criteria More serious cases should be kept in hospital for 6-12 hours for observation, and can be discharged after the condition is stable and the systemic symptoms disappear. Inpatients can be discharged after their vital signs are stable and systemic symptoms disappear for 1-2 days. Preventive measures Jellyfish stings usually occur during the dry and hot summer months. When you encounter a jellyfish, you should not grab or fish it directly with your hands. Even dead jellyfish may sting as long as their stinging capsule is still wet, and pieces of jellyfish floating on the beach should not be touched or picked up by hand.