title: Microsurgical replantation and postoperative leech treatment of a large severed nasal segment.
abstract: The survival of a microsurgically replanted segment of nose in a 41-year-old woman was facilitated by the assistance of the medicinal leech Hirudo medicinalis. An arterial microanastomosis was made to a severed partial segment of nose with no possibility of recreating a venous anastomosis. The resulting venous congestion was treated with nine days of treatment with a medical leech until venous neovascularisation had been achieved. At follow-up six months after discharge there was a well-heeled nasal segment and a satisfying functional - as well as cosmetic - result.
authors.affiliation: Department of Plastic Surgery, Breast Surgery and Burns Treatment, Copenhagen University Hospital , Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen , Denmark. stemann@gmail.com
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stemann Andersen
authors.forename: Jens Jørgen
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Elberg
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000673:Amputation, Traumatic / Q000601:surgery*; D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D001733:Bites and Stings; D004285:Dogs; D004954:Esthetics; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D024763:Leeching / Q000379:methods*; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000379:methods; D009666:Nose / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D012092:Replantation / Q000379:methods*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology