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Abstract
Leeches have been making a remarkable come-back in medical practice in recent years, particularly in reconstructive surgery. This paper opens with a brief review of the historical aspects of the medicinal use of leeches and their recent renaissance in modern medical practice. We then embark on a journey through the murky waters of leech infestation and the potentially life-threatening complications arising from close encounters with these extraordinary creatures. Finally, we get to grips with the tricky issue of safely apprehending and removing uninvited hangers-on.
Notes
* Whilst studying for the Diploma in Tropical Child Health at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine 25 years ago under Professor Ralph Hendrickse, I mentioned some close encounters of the ‘third-world’ kind: three cases of leech infestation of children in rural Kenya. With Ralph’s encouragement, I wrote these up for Annals of Tropical Paediatrics under the title ‘Tails of the Unexpectorated’. It is an honour to be invited to pay tribute to Ralph in this special edition of Paediatrics and International Child Health (formerly Annals of Tropical Paediatrics) by bringing readers ‘More Tails of the Unexpectorated’.