title: Aquatic leech as a rare cause of respiratory distress and hemoptysis.
abstract: This paper presents a 73 years old male with three weeks history of intermittent hemoptysis, dysphagia, dyspnea, stridor, and suffocations sensation. By means of fibrotic bronchoscopic examination, the cause was found to be a leech in the glottis. It was removed by injection of 4 ml lidocaine 2%. Infestation into the respiratory tract by a leech may become lethal because of hypoxia and death secondary to airway obstruction. A high index of suspicion of leech infestation sould be considered in patients presenting with hemoptysis, hoarseness and respiratory distress and a history of recent contact with fresh water streams.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Medicine Division of Department of Medicine, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, West Azerbaijan, Iran. rahimirad@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Rahimi-Rad
authors.forename: Effat
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alizadeh
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Samarei
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000601:surgery; D000818:Animals; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000601:surgery; D005931:Glottis / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000601:surgery; D006469:Hemoptysis / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000601:surgery; D006685:Hoarseness / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D007865:Leeches; D008297:Male; D012135:Respiratory Sounds / Q000209:etiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome