Efficacy of pressure pad vs pressure bandage immobilisation for snake bite first aid

Principal Investigator

Snakebite affects thousands of Australians annually, with fatalities rare due to effective first aid and prompt medical intervention. Optimal first aid should be straightforward, standardised, employ readily available resources, and be effectively administered with minimal or no formal training. However, the efficacy of current Australian snakebite first aid protocols has been questioned, with emerging evidence suggesting potential harm from certain techniques. Moreover, there is a paucity of robust experimental data supporting current practices. This research project aims to investigate and compare the efficacy of two first aid methods by tracking the dissemination of a simulated venom through a model system. This will provide crucial data to evaluate the suitability of existing Australian techniques and assess the effectiveness of a proposed simpler alternative. Demonstrating the efficacy of this alternative approach would provide a strong foundation for revising current snakebite first aid recommendations

01 Oct 2024 - 05 Mar 2029

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