Complications in Leech Therapy: How to Prevent and Manage Them
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Abstract
Medical Leech Therapy (MLT) is a traditional medical treatment method that utilizes leeches to bloodsuck and release saliva for the treatment of diseases. However, the use of living leeches for blood drinking may lead to a series of adverse reactions and complications, which may have a negative impact on the patient's health. This article provides a summary of the complications associated with leech therapy in recent years, along with corresponding mitigation measures. The information presented aims to offer medical practitioners using leech therapy a point of reference.
Searching Pubmed database in the past 15 years (2008 to 2023), English articles were retrieved with "Leech", "Leeche", "Leech Therapy", "Leeching", "Hirudinea", "Hirudineas", "Hirudotherapy" as keywords. We have identified a total of 19 articles that explicitly discuss complications of leech therapy and their corresponding management measures. The majority of the relevant articles consist of case reports. Among these, 6 articles documented post-treatment infections (46 cases), 3 articles reported skin allergies (42 cases), 4 articles described prolonged bleeding (7 cases), and 3 articles cutaneous pseudolymphoma (4 cases), while 4 articles covered various other complications (4 cases). We have summarized the treatment approaches for these complications. Leech therapy, as a traditional medical approach, does offer certain benefits for specific conditions or symptoms. However, its administration should be conducted under the supervision of medical professionals. It's imperative to emphasize the prevention of complications and the implementation of appropriate treatment measures to enhance the safety of leech therapy.
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