The Relationship between Explanation and Patient Compliance in Hirudotherapy
Research article published in Archives of craniofacial surgery (2017)
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The use of leeches can effectively increase the salvage rate of flap congestion. However, the first reaction from patients and carers in using leeches in clinical fields is strong aversion. This can be due to the fact that development of our culture from agriculture to industrial society, coming across leeches became fairly rare. Also because of the biological traits that leeches carry; staying attached to a leg or other body parts of the host, sucking blood, and leaving wounds. METHODS: This study was conducted through questionnaires, divided into many subgroups. We scaled the compliance of the two therapies, with or without leech. Maximum scale of 10 showing no rejective response to the therapy and minimum scale of 0 showing the greatest rejective response. RESULTS: Overall subjects' compliance was improved after explaining the benefits of hirudotherapy. Irrelevant to the explanation, there was no significant difference in general compliance between male and female. Young-aged group and medical personnel or people studying medicine showed higher compliance over older-aged group and the general public. CONCLUSION: In the terms of general social cognition, recognizing leech as a therapeutic material may not be welcomed at first, but provided with proper information and explanations, overall compliance of patients and carers can be improved and consequently result in superior outcomes in flap salvage.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Resumen
The use of leeches can effectively increase the salvage rate of flap congestion. However, the first reaction from patients and carers in using leeches in clinical fields is strong aversion.
Por qué esto importa para la hirudoterapia
Este estudio basado en cuestionarios examinó cómo el proporcionar a los pacientes y cuidadores explicaciones sobre los beneficios de la hirudoterapia afectó su disposición a aceptar la terapia con sanguijuelas para el salvamento de la congestión del colgajo, utilizando una escala de cumplimiento de 0–10 entre subgrupos demográficos. Esto es directamente relevante para el ámbito de ASH, ya que la aversión psicológica hacia las sanguijuelas es una barrera bien reconocida para la hirudoterapia clínica, y el hallazgo de que una explicación adecuada mejora la aceptación tiene implicaciones prácticas para la educación del paciente y la implementación terapéutica. El estudio también observó un mayor cumplimiento entre los individuos más jóvenes y aquellos con formación médica. Sin embargo, el resumen proporciona detalles cuantitativos limitados—sin tamaño muestral, tamaños del efecto ni resultados estadísticos más allá de afirmaciones direccionales—y los hallazgos reflejan actitudes declaradas más que resultados clínicos medidos de la hirudoterapia en sí.
Citación
The Relationship between Explanation and Patient Compliance in Hirudotherapy.
Kim K et al. · Archives of craniofacial surgery, 2017
Contexto clínico relacionado
Explore cómo esta investigación se conecta con la práctica clínica
Añadido a la biblioteca ASH: March 18, 2026 · Última actualización del sitio: June 18, 2026