Medicinal Leeches to Aid in Post-procedural Hematoma Evacuation
Case report published in Cureus (2023)
Abstract
Patients presenting with a post-invasive procedure hematoma can be treated with medicinal leeches to evacuate the hematoma. Our patient, a postmenopausal woman in her 60s, with a past medical history of hypothyroidism, presented to the outpatient clinic with pain, redness, warmth, and swelling on her right thigh. Ten days prior, the patient had undergone a subcutaneous pellet implant procedure in the right thigh for hormonal replacement therapy. The patient developed post-procedure cellulitis and soft tissue infection and was treated with antibiotics. The patient developed a progressively enlarged hematoma at the implant site. The hematoma was treated with medicinal leeches. Two weeks after treatment, the implant area healed. The patient had a family history of von Willebrand disease and a history of prolonged bleeding during childbirth, menstruation, and dental procedures. A von Willebrand panel was obtained, and the results were consistent with a new diagnosis of von Willebrand disease.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Resumen
Patients presenting with a post-invasive procedure hematoma can be treated with medicinal leeches to evacuate the hematoma.
Por qué esto importa para la hirudoterapia
This case report describes a postmenopausal woman who presented with a progressively enlarging, post-procedural hematoma following a subcutaneous pellet implant, which was successfully treated with medicinal leeches. The patient, who was subsequently diagnosed with von Willebrand disease, experienced complete healing of the implant area two weeks after the leech treatment. This abstract is of paramount relevance to the American Society of Hirudotherapy as it documents a direct, successful clinical application of medicinal leeches for evacuating a hematoma in a patient with an underlying bleeding disorder. The primary limitation is that this is a single case report without a control group, indicating a need for broader clinical evidence.
Citación
Medicinal Leeches to Aid in Post-procedural Hematoma Evacuation
Marquez-Gil KY et al. · Cureus, 2023
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Añadido a la biblioteca ASH: May 27, 2026 · Última actualización del sitio: June 18, 2026