Medicinal Leech Therapy: A Review Article in Invertebrate Zoology

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zahra Xald Hasan ◽  
Sherwan T. Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Leech ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Leech Therapy ◽  
Invertebrate Zoology

scholarly journals A review article on Jalaukavacharan in the management of Dushta Vrana

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (04) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramesh Pawar
Keyword(s):  
Convenient Method ◽  
Human Disease ◽  
Chronic Wound ◽  
Medicinal Leech ◽  
Review Article ◽  
The Body ◽  
Body Tissue ◽  
Long Period ◽  
Leech Therapy ◽  
Natural Response

ABSTRACT Method of removing blood from the body using jalauka (leech) is considered as the most easy and convenient method. Blood vitiated by vata, pitta and kapha should be removed from the body, by using sringa, jalauka and alabu respectively. Jalauka is ideal to remove blood vititated by pitta. The medicinal leech, Hirudo medicinalis, is one of the few examples of the use of invertebrates in the treatment of human disease. Leech therapy also known as Hirudotherapy (mentioned as Jalaukavacharan in Ayurveda) played an important role because it was used for medicinal "blood-letting" and "purification". “The destruction / break / rupture / discontinuity of body tissue / part of body, is called Vrana.” The healing of wound or an ulcer is the natural response of the body. Naturally wound will heal in one week if no doshic invasion or infection takes place. The vrana more than a week called dushta vrana which fail to heal for a long period and result into chronic wound (dheergha kalanubandhi dushta vrana), such vrana needs shodhana (Abhyantara) and ropana (Bahya) chikitsa. Virechana and Jatyadi ghruta application as well as jalaukavacharan (leech therapy) are the best line of management for vata-pitta pradushtaja dushta vrana.

Implementation of a Leeches + Antimicrobial Prophylaxis Order Panel to Optimize Medicinal Leech Use at a Tertiary Care Academic Medical Center

2021 ◽  
pp. 089719002199368
Author(s):  
Nicole M. Palm ◽  
Jill C. Wesolowski ◽  
Janet Y. Wu ◽  
Pavithra Srinivas
Keyword(s):  
Antimicrobial Prophylaxis ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Tertiary Care ◽  
Medicinal Leech ◽  
Aeromonas Species ◽  
Leech Therapy ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Timing Of Initiation ◽  
Medicinal Leeches

Medicinal leech therapy promotes vascular flow and can be used to salvage grafts. Medicinal leeches have a symbiotic relationship with Aeromonas species and can therefore present a risk of bacterial transmission to patients. Antimicrobial prophylaxis is warranted for the duration of leech therapy, however, an institutional evaluation of 40 patients receiving medicinal leech therapy demonstrated poor adherence with recommendations. An electronic medical record order panel for antimicrobial prophylaxis with medicinal leech therapy was implemented, leading to a subsequent improvement in adherence to prophylaxis use, including significant increases in the ordering of antibiotics and the appropriate timing of initiation in the subsequent 10 patients receiving medicinal leech therapy after panel implementation. Aeromonas infections were rare before and after panel implementation, and developed only in the patient subset with non-optimized prophylaxis.

scholarly journals Effectiveness of medicinal leech therapy on infected postauricular ulcer: a case report

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 578
Author(s):  
Sinjid Ramakrishnan ◽  
Madan Bhandari ◽  
Gopikrishna B. J. ◽  
Sahanasheela K. R.
Keyword(s):  
Case Report ◽  
Medicinal Leech ◽  
High Ratio ◽  
Aesthetic Value ◽  
Leech Therapy ◽  
The Aesthetic ◽  
Medicinal Leeches

<p class="abstract">Trauma induced auricular partial defect very common. Due to the aesthetic value, proper reconstruction has to be done preserving the symmetry of bilateral auricles. The reconstruction of auricle is difficult due to the intricate anatomy of the auricle, limited and inconsistent vascularization and the high ratio of cartilage to skin. Historically, Susruta was the first author to describe about auricular repair. In Ayurveda, medicinal leech therapy is praised for it’s usefulness for the healing of ulcers. In this case report, a male of 30 years with a trauma induced postauricular infected ulcer was successfully treated with the application of medicinal leeches for multiple sittings.</p><p class="abstract"> </p>

CE Feature: Medicinal Leech Therapy: An Overview

1989 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 12-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mercedes Bates ◽  
Karen Kneer ◽  
Cathy Logan
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Leech ◽  
Leech Therapy

Medicinal Leech Therapy

2008 ◽  
Vol 60 (6) ◽  
pp. 723
Author(s):  
Scott A. Cairns ◽  
Iain S. Whitaker
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Leech ◽  
Leech Therapy

Medicinal Leech Therapy: A Case Study

1989 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 21-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cynthia A. Baker ◽  
Donna A. Nayduch
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Leech ◽  
Leech Therapy

Medicinal Leech Therapy

2007 ◽  
Vol 63 (5) ◽  
pp. 1191
Author(s):  
Nicholas Namias
Keyword(s):  
Medicinal Leech ◽  
Leech Therapy

scholarly journals Hirudotherapy for Neonatal Limb Ischemia During ECMO Support: A Word of Caution

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Resch ◽  
Sameh Said ◽  
Marie Steiner ◽  
Arif Somani
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Surgery ◽  
Limb Ischemia ◽  
Medicinal Leech ◽  
Ecmo Support ◽  
Pediatric Cardiac Surgery ◽  
Venous Congestion ◽  
Distal Limb ◽  
Comfort Care ◽  
Leech Therapy ◽  
Arterial Thrombus

Introduction: Disordered coagulation, clot formation and distal limb ischemia are complications of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) with significant morbidity and mortality. Medicinal leech therapy (hirudotherapy) has been attempted in plastic and orthopedic surgeries to improve venous congestion and salvage ischemic flaps. To our knowledge this has not been reported in pediatric cardiac surgery or during ECMO support. We present a complex neonate whose ECMO course was complicated by distal limb ischemia for whom leech therapy was attempted. Patient and Intervention: A 2 week-old 2.7 kg infant required ECMO support secondary to perioperative multiorgan system dysfunction following repair of critical coarctation and ventricular septal defect. Despite systemic anticoagulation, his clinical course was complicated by arterial thrombus, vasopressor-induced vascular spasm and bilateral distal limb ischemia. Medicinal leech therapy was tried after initially failing conventional measures. Result: Following the third leech application, this patient developed significant hemorrhage from the web space adjacent to the left great toe. An estimated 450 mL of blood loss occurred and more than 300 mL of blood product transfusions were required. He ultimately progressed to irreversible systemic end organ dysfunction and comfort care was provided. Conclusion: The use of medicinal leech therapy in pediatric cardiac surgery may be considered to minimize the consequences of advanced limb ischemia and venous congestion. However, this should be used with caution while patients are systemically anticoagulated during ECMO support. A directed review is presented here to assist in determining optimal application and potential course of therapy.

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