Clinical use of leeches in reconstructive surgery
Narrative review published in American journal of orthopedics (Belle Mead, N.J.) (1997)
Abstract
Although medicinal bloodletting with leeches is a practice that dates back 3500 years, leeches have been used in reconstructive surgery for only the past 35 years. In this article, the indications, mechanisms of action, and guidelines for using leeches in reconstructive surgery are reviewed.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
This review outlines the indications, mechanisms of action and guidelines for using medicinal leeches in reconstructive surgery, a practice that, unlike 3500 years of bloodletting, spans only the past 35 years.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This review summarizes the indications, mechanisms of action, and practical guidelines for using leeches in reconstructive surgery, noting that while medicinal bloodletting dates back roughly 3,500 years, surgical use of leeches spans only the prior ~35 years (as of publication). For ASH it is a useful orientation piece, situating modern leech therapy as a relatively recent application of an ancient practice and pointing to the salivary mechanisms that underlie its surgical role. As a narrative review it summarizes and interprets other work rather than reporting new primary data, so it should be read as expert synthesis, not as independent evidence of efficacy.
Citation
Added to ASH library: May 28, 2026 · Site last updated: June 18, 2026