Review of our treatment approach in rabies-risky bites in Central Anatolia in Turkey

Aim: Bites are an essential cause of injury since the world. Treatment of bites is made according to specific guides and principles. The study's purpose is to examine the demographic characteristics of patients hospitalized due to bite wounds and to be a guide for new studies and treatments by sharing surgical treatment experiences.

Material and Method: Patients who were bitten and required surgical treatment were included in the study. Demographic characteristics, tetanus, and rabies prophylaxis applications, infection agents isolated from the wound site, antibiotherapies applied, and surgical treatments were recorded.

Results: Of the patients, 43 were male and mean age (±SD) of 34.5±23.8years (range, 3-85 years). Bites were in the head and neck region in 13(65%) of patients under 15 years old and in 12(27.3%) of the patients over 15 years old. In extremities, the injury was present in 7(35%) patients under 15 and in 28(63.6%) patients over 15 years old. Of the injuries, 50(78.1%) were caused by dogs, 8(12.5%) by wild animals (7 pigs, one wolf), 4(6.3%) by other pet species (horse, donkey, cow), and 2(3.1%) by humans. The intervention was made to all the patients according to guide of rabies prophylaxis specified by the Ministry of Health, General Directorate of Public Health. Irrigation was applied to the wound site with plenty of pressurized and soapy water. Forty patients received tetanus prophylaxis, 62 patients received rabies prophylaxis, and rabies immunoglobulin was applied to patients considered as suitable. Prophylactic amoxicillin clavulanate treatment was started in 38 of the patients, crystalline penicillin-G in 12, sultamicillin in 6, the combination of sultamicillin and aminoglycoside in 6, and cefazolin treatment in 2. 12(18.8%) patient underwent an urgent operation for repair process without any microbiological examination on the date of arrival. Among the patients to whom repair was applied on the first day, 7 had primary saturation, 3 had a local flap, 1 underwent ear, and 1 underwent nasal replantation, one patient had femoral artery repair, and one patient had peroneal nerve repair. Among 52 patients who underwent late repair, primary suturation was applied to 35, skin graft to 4, local flap to 17, and paramedian forehead flap to 2. No complication was seen in any of the patients who underwent early and late repairs.

Conclusion: Bacterial burden of the wound can be reduced enough to allow urgent repair owing to the irrigation of the wound with plenty of pressurized and soapy water in bites.