The use of medical leeches for venous congestion. A review and case report

The medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, has been used for hundreds of years in human medicine for a variety of diseases, most recently including venous congestion following reconstructive surgeries (skin flaps and reimplantations), excessive lingual and periorbital swelling, and non-traditional treatments for osteoarthritis, compartment syndrome and sialoadenitis. The treatment of venous congestion in animals using leeches has been mentioned anecdotally, but the only published report pertains to the use of leeches in a cat suffering from polycythemia vera. We report the use of medical grade leeches in a one-year-old male castrated Domestic Shorthaired cat presenting with severe swelling of the paw after sustaining a constrictive injury from a bandage. The limb use had become compromised and the swelling was not responsive to compression bandages so leech therapy was instituted for four days and the swelling dramatically improved. The patient's limb use improved back to normal and the constrictive wound went on to heal without complication. The use of leeches in this case allowed for resolution of severe venous congestion and a full return to function in this patient with no continued skin loss. The mechanism of action of hirudotherapy for venous congestion is to allow for an alternative egress of pooled venous blood leading to a reduction in capillary pressure and increases in arterial reperfusion of capillary beds. The human and veterinary applications, method, and potential complications with hirudotherapy are discussed in this review.

Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.

Use of medical-grade leeches in a 1-year-old male cat with severe paw swelling after constrictive bandage injury with successful resolution and full limb function recovery.

Erfahren Sie, wie diese Forschung mit der klinischen Praxis verknüpft ist

More peer-reviewed studies in Klinische Studien.

• Leech Therapy for Knee Osteoarthritis — The Landmark RCT — Michalsen et al. (2003)
• Leech-Assisted Flap Salvage — Systematic Review of 277 Cases — Whitaker et al. (2012)
• Effects of hirudotherapy on liver functions, lipid profile, and insulin sensitivity in rats with metabolic syndrome — Bilden A et al. (2026)
• Efficacy and Safety of Hirudotherapy for Improving Sperm Quality Parameters in Male Infertility: A Randomized Controlled Trial — Abtahi-Forooshani M et al. (2026)
• Reverse Sural Flap Venous Congestion Successfully Managed With Enoxaparin in a Male Patient With a Traumatic Foot Crush Injury: A Case Report — Velasco-Bustamante J et al. (2026)
• Investigation of the therapeutic effects of medicinal leech treatment on lower extremity ischemia-reperfusion injury — Ünal K et al. (2026)
• Efficacy of Medicinal Leech Therapy in Diverse Clinical Applications: A Comprehensive Study from Azerbaijan — Farzali S et al. (2025)
• HIRUDOTHERAPY IN RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGERY: CASE-REPORTS AND REVIEW — Heinz P et al. (2020)
• Hirudotherapy Efficacy and Complications in the Management of Microsurgical Breast Reconstruction: A Systematic Review — Foppiani J et al. (2024)
• Hirudotherapy in Wound Healing — Nair H et al. (2022)

Browse all ASH-analysed research →