[A case report: hirudotherapy as a treatment modality in the microsurgery]. / Olgu Sunumu: Mikro Cerrahiye Yardimci Bir Metot, Hirudoterapi.

Medicinal leeches are known to inject more than 100 bioactive substances in the tissue whilst sucking blood. They are being successfully used for the treatment of diseases and symptoms, especially in plastic surgery. We report the case of a 7-year old boy, who had lost the first phalanx of the middle finger of the right hand after an accident. The detached digit was replanted in the plastic surgery clinic, and treated within a period of 15 days with medicinal leeches (Hirudo medicinalis). Soon after the initiation of the hirudotherapy, the revascularisation of the re-attached phalanx, as well as the resolving of tissue oedema and pain was observed. Turkish physicians should be aware of the advantages of hirudotherapy in plastic and reconstructive surgery, especially in cases of detached digits and flaps.

[Medicinal leeches and hirudotherapy]. / Tibbi sülükler ve hirudoterapi.

Leeches have been used in the treatment of certain diseases since ancient times. There are a few species of medicinal leeches. However, H. medicinalis and H. verbana are known in Turkey. Currently, Turkey is one of the world's most important leech-exporting countries. Secretion of the salivary glands of medical leeches contains more than 100 bioactive substances. These secretions include vasodilators, bacteriostatic, analgesic, anti-inflammatory and anticoagulants, anti-edematous, which eliminate microcirculatory disorders, restore the damaged vascular permeability of tissues and organs, eliminate hypoxia, reduce blood pressure, increase immune system activity, resolving the cause of pain and improve the bioenergetic status of the organism. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (Food and Drug Authority of USA-FDA) have allowed the sale of leeches in this country, the use for plastic surgery, the general purposes and microsurgery in 2004. Turkey is the richest source in terms of the medical leech. Better evaluation of this valuable commodity and more effective use of hirudotherapy in modern medical practice as supportive treatment is very important.