Medicinal leeches used to salvage a traumatic nasal flap
Case report published in The British journal of oral & maxillofacial surgery (1998)
Abstract
We report a case in which medicinal leeches (Hirudo medicinalis) were used to rescue a traumatic nasal flap from venous congestion and loss. A healthy 18-year-old had a bicycling accident and, in addition to other facial injuries, presented with a complex full thickness nasal laceration. After he had been resuscitated and the flap sutured, he was treated with two leeches four times a day for 48 h. His recovery was satisfactory and uncomplicated. Oral and maxillofacial surgeons should be familiar with the use of leeches, as they have a small but occasionally important role in the management of both traumatic and reconstructive flaps.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
Medicinal leeches (Hirudo medicinalis) rescued a traumatic nasal flap in an 18-year-old after a bicycling accident: two leeches applied four times daily for 48 hours relieved venous congestion, and recovery was satisfactory and uncomplicated.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This case report describes the use of medicinal leeches (Hirudo medicinalis) to rescue a traumatic nasal flap from venous congestion in a healthy 18-year-old who sustained complex facial injuries in a bicycling accident. After resuscitation and flap suturing, two leeches were applied four times daily for 48 hours, with satisfactory and uncomplicated recovery. The paper presents a clinical example of hirudotherapy in maxillofacial plastic surgery, illustrating the use of leech therapy for salvaging compromised flaps. However, this is a single case report with no control group or comparative data; long-term outcomes are not reported beyond the immediate recovery period.
Citation
Reference (Vancouver style)
Mortenson BW, Dawson KH, Murakami C. Medicinal leeches used to salvage a traumatic nasal flap. Br J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 1998;36(6):462-464. doi:10.1016/s0266-4356(98)90465-x. PMID: 9881791
Bibliographic details (authors, volume, pages, DOI) are taken from the PubMed record.
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