Microsurgical replantation of a totally amputated ear without venous repair
Case report published in Journal of Reconstructive Microsurgery (2001)
Abstract
The authors present a case of successful replantation of a totally avulsed ear in a 37-year-old patient, using a termino-terminal arterial anastomosis on the superficial temporal artery. As no suitable vein could be identified in the amputated part, they relied on leech therapy and systemic anticoagulation for venous drainage. Despite an 18-hr ischemia, the ear survived completely.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Summary
In a 37-year-old patient, a totally avulsed ear was replanted using arterial anastomosis of the superficial temporal artery; lacking a suitable vein, the surgeons used leech therapy and systemic anticoagulation for venous drainage, and the ear fully survived despite 18 hours of ischemia.
Why This Matters for Hirudotherapy
This case report describes successful microsurgical replantation of a totally avulsed ear in a 37-year-old patient using arterial anastomosis without venous repair. Venous drainage was managed using leech therapy combined with systemic anticoagulation, and the ear survived completely despite 18 hours of ischemia. This report documents leech therapy as one component of postoperative venous drainage management in ear replantation. The primary limitation is that it is a single case report in which leech therapy was used alongside systemic anticoagulation, so no efficacy claim can be made for hirudotherapy alone, and the outcome is not generalizable.
Citation
Reference (Vancouver style)
Talbi M, Stussi JD, Meley M. Microsurgical replantation of a totally amputated ear without venous repair. J Reconstr Microsurg. 2001;17(6):417-420. doi:10.1055/s-2001-16354. PMID: 11507687
Bibliographic details (authors, volume, pages, DOI) are taken from the PubMed record.
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