Scalp replantation after traumatic injury
Case report published in AORN J (1995)
Abstract
A 30-year-old female patient lost her scalp in an industrial accident. Surgeons used a microscope to reconnect the arteries and veins in her scalp and to reattach the scalp to the patient's cranium. The patient tolerated the procedure without complications, although she developed venous congestion in her right ear while she was in the neuroscience intensive care unit. After several days of leech therapy, the patient experienced an uneventful postoperative course. One month after discharge from the hospital, the patient's hair was growing back in and her incision lines were fading.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
Case report of scalp replantation following industrial accident; postoperative venous congestion managed successfully with leech therapy.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This case report describes a 30-year-old woman whose avulsed scalp was replanted microsurgically after an industrial accident; when venous congestion developed in her right ear postoperatively, several days of leech therapy relieved the congestion and she had an uneventful recovery with subsequent hair regrowth. This is directly relevant to ASH's domain as a clinical example of medicinal leech therapy used for venous congestion management in replantation surgery. The chief limitation is that this is a single case report involving one patient, with no control group, no comparative outcome data, and no detail on leech species, protocol, or adverse effects.
Citation
Added to ASH library: May 27, 2026 · Site last updated: June 18, 2026