title: Use of the medicinal leech in the treatment of ear diseases.
abstract: Medicinal leeches (Hirudo medicinalis) and the native secretion of their salivary glands diluted with saline (5 times) were successfully used for the treatment of some ear diseases: tinnitus caused by inner-ear affections, acute external otitis and chronic otitis media. The effect of diluted leech saliva injected into the region of the mastoid process by microelectrophoresis was 25-30% lower than that of the medicinal leeches.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, State Medical Institute, Donetsk, USSR.
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Seleznev
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Shchetinina
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Trophimenko
authors.forename: G I
authors.initials: GI
authors.lastname: Nikonov
authors.forename: I P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Baskova
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000382:microbiology; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000150:complications; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007865:Leeches; D010032:Otitis Externa / Q000628:therapy*; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000628:therapy*; D012463:Saliva; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome