Conclusion: There is a need to develop a standard operative guideline for leech therapy by Ayurveda authorities.Ĭomplementary medical methods have a long history, but modern medicine has just recently focused on their possible modes of action. Discussion: Even though no major complications after leech therapy was observed this survey says that most of the practitioners do not follow proper pre-operative investigations, prophylactic measures are not taken properly and leeches are reused by almost all participants. Results obtained were discussed in this study. It was arranged in Google forms and sent to different Ayurveda doctors practicing leech therapy.31 practitioners responded to the survey. Questions related to pre-operative, operative and post-operative methods of leech therapy were formulated. Methodology: A questionnaire was prepared based on Sushrutha Samhita and present practices. This survey study was carried out to know the present status of Leech therapy practices in India.
The standard operative procedure explained in Sushrutha Samhita is not practiced in Ayurveda centres due to practical difficulties. Leech therapy is practiced extensively in Ayurveda centres. It is explained in detail in Sushrutha Sam-hitha. Jalaukavacharana is a procedure where leeches are used for treatment. Our patient shows that leech therapy can be complicated by subdural hematoma. On one month follow-up, neurological examinations were normal. The patient’s drowsiness and speech difficulties improved after the surgical operation. Further history was obtained that leech was applied to the patient for low back pain in the last 45 days, two times at 15 days intervals. Cranial CT and MR imaging showed a left frontoparietal chronic subdural hematoma. There was no known history of systemic or hereditary disease, drug or substance abuse. The patient did not report any recent trauma. During the neurological examination, it was observed that the patient had difficulty in speaking and pronouncing words intermittently while taking his medical history. This was a 34-year-old man who was admitted to our Emergency Department with headache, right side numbness, and intermittent difficulty in speaking. We are not aware of similar report in the literature. We present here a case of self-administered leech application for chronic low back pain who subsequently developed complication of chronic subdural hematoma. Applications related to the use of leeches in medical therapies date back for centuries.
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