title: The emergency management of a medicinal leech bite.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois.
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007865:Leeches