A Case Series of Bear Attacks from a Tertiary Center in South India

Abstract

Three patients with severe facial injuries and with history of attack by a single bear were simultaneously admitted to our hospital. With the rapid industrialization and overpopulation of India, there is an increased pressure on the available land, leading to increased human-animal conflicts. Fortunately, all three patients survived. The prolonged hospitalization needed and the tumultuous course in the hospitalization punctuated by multiple complications will tax medical practitioners. This study describes the clinical course of these patients in detail and the treatment particulars to help similarly placed physicians. We would like to stress the importance of early debridement, primary closure of wounds, and early skin grafting for raw areas even in patients with suboptimal physical status, along with appropriate anti-rabies prophylaxis, as key in managing these patients.