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Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative... 2020Hirudotherapy, also known as medicinal leech therapy, has been used to treat a wide range of disorders for thousands of years since Ancient Egypt. Leech therapy is also...
BACKGROUND
Hirudotherapy, also known as medicinal leech therapy, has been used to treat a wide range of disorders for thousands of years since Ancient Egypt. Leech therapy is also mentioned as a minimal invasive technique called Jalaukavacharana in the Sushruta Samhita, an ancient Sanskrit text of Ayurvedic medicine. Although hirudotherapy has become a popular component of complementary medicine in the last decade, scientometric studies investigating the articles published in this field, do not exist.
OBJECTIVE
In this study, we aimed to perform a detailed scientometric analysis of hirudotherapy literature.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We collected data by using four databases provided by Web of Science using the keywords "hirudotherapy", "leech therapy", "medicinal leech" and "medicinal leech therapy".
RESULTS
A total of 834 articles were found of which 89.8% were original articles. USA was the leading country with 280 publications, followed by UK, Germany and France (128, 101 and 41 items, respectively). The most productive countries regarding hirudotherapy were the UK (1.93), Slovenia (1.44), and Israel (1.32). The peak publication year for hirudotherapy literature was 2011 with 41 papers.
CONCLUSION
To the best of our knowledge, our study was the first bibliometric and scientometric analysis in this field and we believe that multicenter studies and further searches from developing and least-developed countries are needed in hirudotherapy literature.
PubMed: 31289001
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaim.2018.11.006 -
Medical Anthropology Quarterly Mar 2021This article offers vascularity as a multi-dimensional imaginary for the interspecies entanglements constituting Ayurvedic leech therapy. Whether, when, where, and how a...
This article offers vascularity as a multi-dimensional imaginary for the interspecies entanglements constituting Ayurvedic leech therapy. Whether, when, where, and how a leech decides to bite, suck, and release comprise pivotal junctures in leech therapy as practiced in southern Kerala, India. In the course of leech-human intra-actions, leeches translate matter, providing sensory mediation, relief, and amusement. Enmeshed in social and ecological relations inflected by gender, religion, class, and caste, this analysis of Ayurvedic leech therapy reframes questions of agencies starting with and from the viewpoint of the vascular capacities of leeches in their interactions with humans. This image of vascularity provides an analytic for the emergent agencies of humans and leeches constituted by sensory intra-actions at branching points in this multispecies clinical practice.
Topics: Aged; Animals; Anthropology, Medical; Blood Vessels; Female; Humans; India; Leeches; Leeching; Male; Medicine, Ayurvedic; Middle Aged; Varicose Ulcer
PubMed: 32779247
DOI: 10.1111/maq.12595 -
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy =... May 2022Medicinal leeches have been used in health care since before written history, with widely varying popularity over the centuries. Nowadays, medicinal leech therapy is... (Review)
Review
Medicinal leeches have been used in health care since before written history, with widely varying popularity over the centuries. Nowadays, medicinal leech therapy is mainly used in plastic and reconstructive microsurgery, with new interesting potential therapeutic applications in many other diseases. The leech's best-known salivary product, hirudin - one of the most powerful natural anticoagulants - was the only remedy to prevent blood clotting until the discovery of heparin. Starting from hirudin, pharmacological research succeeded in developing new anticoagulants, which represent a cornerstone of prevention and treatment of thromboembolic disease. While we are perhaps on the threshold of a new era of anticoagulation, with the development of FXI and XII inhibitors and direct reversible covalent thrombin inhibitors, which promise to achieve effective anticoagulation without bleeding risk. This review retraces the intriguing journey of these drugs in cardiovascular disease, highlighting the fil rouge that links the ancient leech to the current and oncoming antithrombotic therapy. We think that knowledge of the past is key to understanding and appreciating the present and to seize future opportunities.
Topics: Animals; Anticoagulants; Antithrombins; Fibrinolytic Agents; Hirudins; Leeches; Thrombin
PubMed: 35364378
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112878 -
Turkiye Parazitolojii Dergisi Jun 2021Lichen planus is a traumatic (koebner positive), chronic, inflammatory and autoimmune disease affecting the oral and genital mucosa, scalp and nails. The Food and Drug...
Lichen planus is a traumatic (koebner positive), chronic, inflammatory and autoimmune disease affecting the oral and genital mucosa, scalp and nails. The Food and Drug Administration approved the use of medical leeches for therapeutic purposes (hirudotherapy) in 2004 to ensure flap nutrition in plastic surgery. A 34-year-old male patient was admitted to our dermatology outpatient clinic with a swollen, itchy and purple-coloured rash on legs and back for a month, and white and reticulated plaques in the mouth. It was learned that a week earlier, eight leeches was applied to both knees and ankles to alleviate knee and leg pain. The patient had no history of drug use. A punch biopsy was taken from the patient with a preliminary diagnosis of lichen planus and lichenoid drug reaction. The histopathological examination showed hyperkeratosis, irregular acanthosis and hypergranulosis. Systemic methylprednisolone, levocetrizine and topical methylprednisolone aceponate were planned for the therapy. To the best of our knowledge, the appearance of lichen planus after hirudotherapy was never reported in literature. Hence, physicians should keep in mind that lichen planus and similar dermatoses could be triggered due to hirudotherapy. The fact that lichen planus appeared a week after hirudotherapy does not necessarily mean that leeches were the cause of this phenomenon. Accordingly, it could be deduced that lichen planus was probably developed as a result of leech therapy.
Topics: Adult; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Biopsy; Humans; Leeching; Lichen Planus; Male; Skin
PubMed: 34103294
DOI: 10.4274/tpd.galenos.2020.7066 -
Nursing Nov 2020
Topics: Fingers; Hospitalists; Humans; Hyperemia; Intensive Care Units; Leeching
PubMed: 33105421
DOI: 10.1097/01.NURSE.0000718916.16465.aa -
Current Research in Neurobiology 2023Future neuroscience and biomedical projects involving non-human primates (NHPs) remain essential in our endeavors to understand the complexities and functioning of the... (Review)
Review
Future neuroscience and biomedical projects involving non-human primates (NHPs) remain essential in our endeavors to understand the complexities and functioning of the mammalian central nervous system. In so doing, the NHP neuroscience researcher must be allowed to incorporate state-of-the-art technologies, including the use of novel viral vectors, gene therapy and transgenic approaches to answer continuing and emerging research questions that can only be addressed in NHP research models. This perspective piece captures these emerging technologies and some specific research questions they can address. At the same time, we highlight some current caveats to global NHP research and collaborations including the lack of common ethical and regulatory frameworks for NHP research, the limitations involving animal transportation and exports, and the ongoing influence of activist groups opposed to NHP research.
PubMed: 36582401
DOI: 10.1016/j.crneur.2022.100064 -
Current Opinion in Microbiology Feb 2022Aeromonas is at the interface of all the One Health components and represents an amazingly sound test case in the One Health approach, from economic loss in aquaculture... (Review)
Review
Aeromonas is at the interface of all the One Health components and represents an amazingly sound test case in the One Health approach, from economic loss in aquaculture tochallenges related to antibiotic-resistant bacteria selected from the environment. In human health, infections following leech therapy is an outstanding example of such One Health challenges. Aeromonads are not only ubiquitous environmental bacteria, able to rapidly colonize and cause opportunistic infections in humans and animals, they are also capable of promoting interactions and gene exchanges between the One Health components. This makes this genus a key amplifier of genetic transfer, especially of antibiotic resistance genes.
Topics: Aeromonas; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Aquaculture; One Health
PubMed: 34717260
DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2021.09.012 -
Journal of Pharmacopuncture Mar 2022Psoriasis is a chronic disease that has no definitive cure. In this review study, the main sources of Persian Medicine (PM) such as the Canon of Medicine (by Avicenna)... (Review)
Review
Psoriasis is a chronic disease that has no definitive cure. In this review study, the main sources of Persian Medicine (PM) such as the Canon of Medicine (by Avicenna) and (by Rhazes) were assessed to identify non-pharmacological treatments for psoriasis. Several treatments that are recommended for this disease include nutritional advice, lifestyle modifications, and manipulation therapy such as wet cupping (), leech therapy, and phlebotomy (). These recommendations may help to prevent recurrence and be useful in improving psoriasis. The efficacy of PM recommendations to improve psoriasis should be evaluated in future studies.
PubMed: 35371587
DOI: 10.3831/KPI.2022.25.1.1 -
European Journal of Hospital Pharmacy :... Mar 2023Medicinal leech therapy - known as hirudotherapy (HT) - is an empirical medical technique that has become popular again in reconstructive surgery. However, at each step... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
Medicinal leech therapy - known as hirudotherapy (HT) - is an empirical medical technique that has become popular again in reconstructive surgery. However, at each step of leech management there are risks for blood contamination of the caregivers and severe infections for patients. This reduces the success of the treatment. The aim of this study was to improve the management of leeches from ordering to disposal to improve patient care.
METHODS
First, a review of the literature was performed. Second, we conducted a retrospective study of patients' antibiotic prophylaxis from January 2018 to December 2019. The data we collected were patient characteristics, the specific care unit at the hospital, indication, contra-indication, posology, duration of HT, number of leeches delivered, antibiotic prophylaxis prescribed and microbial organism, if identified. Third, an interdisciplinary meeting was organised to review the entire leech circuit: ordering, maintenance, prescription, dispensing, application and disposal.
RESULTS
At the end of the literature review, six articles based on practices implemented in France were selected for inclusion. These articles discussed antibiotic prophylaxis, iron supplementation, and leech storage, application and disposal. On the retrospective study performed, antibiotic prophylaxis for HT was performed for 60% (30/50) of patients, 77% (23/30) of the prescriptions followed the recommendations for antibiotic prophylaxis, and 20 patients did not receive antibiotic prophylaxis. The interdisciplinary meeting made it possible to define a collegially validated protocol, containing a computerised antibiotic prophylaxis prescription, including ciprofloxacin antibiotic prophylaxis, intravenous iron supplementation and biological monitoring. A leech application protocol was created, and the method of leech disposal was revised.
CONCLUSION
Despite the absence of clear guidelines and heterogeneous practices, this study reveals the importance of a standard procedure including leech management practices before use, antibiotic prophylaxis and application and disposal guides. The interdisciplinary protocol allows improved patient care management and makes leech management safer for caregivers.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Leeching; Leeches; Retrospective Studies; Patient Care; France
PubMed: 35501036
DOI: 10.1136/ejhpharm-2021-003100 -
Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North... Nov 2019As the number of patients seeking surgical and nonsurgical rhinoplasty continues to increase, the risk of nasal skin compromise after surgery also has risen. Vascular... (Review)
Review
As the number of patients seeking surgical and nonsurgical rhinoplasty continues to increase, the risk of nasal skin compromise after surgery also has risen. Vascular insult to the nasal skin envelope can lead to permanent disfigurement that is nearly impossible to correct. Tissue loss often requires major reconstruction that yields suboptimal cosmetic results. This article discusses prevention, early recognition, and effective treatment that aim to mitigate skin necrosis and the resulting soft tissue destruction.
Topics: Administration, Cutaneous; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Humans; Hyperbaric Oxygenation; Leeching; Necrosis; Nitroglycerin; Nose; Postoperative Complications; Rhinoplasty; Risk Factors; Skin; Vasodilator Agents
PubMed: 31587769
DOI: 10.1016/j.fsc.2019.07.007