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J Hand Microsurg 2017; 09(02): 098-100
DOI: 10.1055/s-0037-1604348
Case Report
Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Private Ltd.

Prolonged Bleeding after a Single Leech Application in Pediatric Hand Surgery

James D. Kotick
1   Department of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Hand Surgery, Lahey Hospital and Medical Clinic, Tufts Medical School, Burlington, Massachusetts, United States
,
Amir Taghinia
2   Department of Plastic and Hand Surgery, Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
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Publikationsverlauf

29. März 2017

27. Juni 2017

Publikationsdatum:
21. Juli 2017 (online)

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Abstract

Use of the medicinal leech in microsurgery is common place for venous decongestion and can be associated with the need for transfusion over time and multiple applications. Here the authors present a case of profound, ongoing, life-threatening bleeding after a single leech application in pediatric microscopic surgery. There are no reports of such profound bleeding in the literature, and this case serves as a warning of the need for close surveillance in this subset of patients.

Keywords

leech therapy - pediatric hand microsurgery - single leech application
 

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