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Medicinal Leech Therapy

2007; Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; Volume: 120; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1097/01.prs.0000244306.39396.7e

1529-4242

Dennis P. Orgill,

Veterinary Pharmacology and Anesthesia

Medicinal Leech Therapy By Andreas Michalsen, M.D., Manfred Roth, Ph.D., and Gustav Dobos, M.D. Pp. 178. Thieme, Stuttgart, Germany, 2007. Price: $59.95. Leech therapy has been used for many indications and has fascinated physicians for centuries. As plastic surgeons, we occasionally use leeches for flaps or replants with venous congestion, sometimes with remarkable results. With the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s 2004 approval and the availability of hirudin as a therapeutic drug, there is now much more information available about leeches. Michalsen and associates present a comprehensive, 14-chapter treatise on leeches, starting with the history of leech therapy. They then go on to provide the biological basis of leech therapy and describe in detail the many biologically active molecules in leech saliva. They include several very nice photographs and drawings to help the reader. They present several case examples in plastic surgery and discuss the safety and legal aspects of leech therapy. As plastic surgeons, most of us hope that we never need to use leeches, but occasionally, they may be required. There is probably some discrimination against these useful creatures because of their history. For example, many hospital pharmacies refuse to stock leeches, even though they are approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Plastic surgeons must either maintain their own stock of leeches or order them as needed by overnight delivery. When leeches are needed, they often receive a very unusual response from both family members and the hospital and nursing staff. Having this book will allow the practitioner to share the facts easily with patients and their families as needed. In summary, the authors present an updated book detailing the biology, therapeutic uses, and practical points of leech therapy. This book will be useful to many plastic surgeons, including microsurgeons who occasionally have difficulties with flap congestion.FigureDennis P. Orgill, M.D., Ph.D.