Spider bite horror sees botched hospital treatment leave finger rotting off

10 January 2024 , 15:50

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Wilker Guimaraes was bitten by a spider (Image: Newsflash)

A spider bite victim has accused medics of botching his treatment so badly he will now be forced to have his finger amputated.

Horrifying photographs of Wilker Guimaraes' injury show his blackened left index finger badly swollen and oozing blood. The 31 year old was bitten by what's believed to be a brown widow spider as he slept at home in Praia Grande, Brazil, on Thursday, December 28.

After waking up with what he thought was a small cut, Wilker went to UPA Samambaia hospital and was prescribed painkillers and anti-allergy medication. But when he found spiders in his house he realised what had happened and he was given more medication by doctors.

In agony Wilker later went to a second hospital and was then transferred to UPA Quietude where he received anti-arachnid serum, but he says he was later transferred again to the Sister Dulce Hospital where he's now awaiting surgery. He says surgeons have told him tthe spider's venom has necrotized, killing off the cells in his finger.

He is likely to lose his index finger (Newsflash)

Now Wilker says that if he had received proper treatment on the first day he might not be losing a finger. He claims he has a blister in the injured area and that is why he has not yet undergone surgery. He added: "They are waiting for the necrosis to be defined before amputating so it can all be done at once."

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Praia Grande City Hall, through the Public Health Secretariat (Sesap) told local media they are investigating the incident.

Kelly-Ann Mills