The emergency management of a medicinal leech bite.
Leeches have been used as a medicinal remedy for years untold. Recently, there appears to have been a resurgence in the use of the medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis. Presented is the case of a patient who called the emergency department for advice concerning the management of a bleeding leech bite. We discuss briefly the pharmacologically active salivary contents of the leech and an approach to the emergency therapy of a medicinal leech bite.
Adams
S L
SL
Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois.
D000818:Animals; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007865:Leeches