Hirudo medicinalis (speckled, Swedish or German leech)
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Introduction
Species previously in most medicinal use. Still used occasionally.
Indications
- reduction of venous congestion in surgical flaps or replanted body parts
- osteoarthritis[3]
Complications
- wound infection
- myonecrosis
- sepsis due to Aeromonas hydrophilia which colonizes the gullets of commercially available leeches
- itching 70%[3]
- anemia: mean decline in hemoglobin 0.6 mg/dL[3]
More general terms
More specific terms
References
- ↑ Stedman's Medical Dictionary 27th ed, Williams & Wilkins, Baltimore, 1999
- ↑ Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 13th ed. Isselbacher et al (eds), McGraw-Hill Inc. NY, 1994, pg 936
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Journal Watch 23(24):193, 2003 Michalson A et al, Ann Intern Med 139:724, 2003 PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14564334 Hochberg MC, Ann Intern Med 139:781, 2003 PMID: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14597463