Little Suckers: The Use of Vampire Worms to Help with Skin Grafts
Published by Early in the 20th century doctors discarded leeches as having no place in modern medicine. But today leeches are back, helping to heal skin grafts.
Little Suckers: The Use of Vampire Worms to Help with Skin Grafts
By Mr Ghaz. February 27, 2011
Little Suckers: The Use of Vampire Worms to Help with Skin Grafts
Few images conjure up the horrors of primitive medical practice more powerfully than that of the leech. This parasitic worm was used to suck blood from the veins of sick people in the belief that it could draw out the “evil vapors” responsible for their disease. Large numbers of leeches were employed. In 1837 alone, 96,000 leeches were applied to 50,557 patients at St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in London. Their use was so common in England that British-bred leeches became scarce, and foreign leeches had to be imported from India and Mexico.
Early in the 20th century doctors discarded leeches as having no place in modern medicine. But today leeches are back, helping to heal skin grafts.
One of the main problems in plastic surgery occurs after the new skin has been grafted. Blood is unable to circulate freely through the graft until the healing process is complete. Congestion results and the blood flow in the arteries slow down. This reduces the supply of oxygen brought to the new skin, and the graft sometimes fails.
Plastic surgeons studying this problem suggested using leeches to improve the blood flow. The hungry leech is attached to the grafted skin and drinks its meal of up to two fluid ounces of blood in 10 to 20 minutes, drawing blood into the graft. The leech can increase its own dry weight by as much as six times. After feeding, it drops off, but the patient continues to bleed for as long as two hours. With the blood now circulating freely through the graft, congestion is alleviated and the skin graft usually takes successfully.
In the 19th century more than 50 leeches were sometimes applied simultaneously to a patient. In modern-day plastic surgery usually only one or two leeches are used at one time. But if the arteries to the grafted area take a long time to develop, leeches may be applied at six-hour intervals over a week-some 28 leeches in all.
Such is the demand for leeches today were declared an endangered species. Leech farms were set up to ensure a regular supply. Because leeches have a long life-they can survive for up to a year without eating (and the hungrier they are, the greater their effectiveness)-they can be stocked in hospital pharmacies and made available on short notice.
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On December 29, 2009 at 11:59 am
Yuck! The leech, scary though!
On December 29, 2009 at 12:02 pm
wow, scary leech….
good to know these facts
On December 29, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Good one. I’ve seen leeches in action following a scaffolding collapse at the Indianapolis 500 race back in the ’60s. Methodist hospital put them to use on open ankle wounds.
On December 29, 2009 at 1:17 pm
very interesting article, now I’m well-informed, I once so a documentary about Leech sucking tumors from a patient. Yak, can’t bear watching the video..
On December 29, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Very interesting article
On December 29, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Thats news to me good work.keep writing.thxs for the share
On December 29, 2009 at 2:00 pm
wow this is very interesting.
On December 29, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Fascinating article.
On December 29, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Very interesting, even if a bit yucky !
On December 29, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Great article, mrghaz. Interesting.
On December 29, 2009 at 9:23 pm
very informative thanks again!!!
On December 29, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Isn’t it amazing how medicine oft returns to its roots?
On December 29, 2009 at 10:43 pm
LOL! Creepy but insightful!
On December 29, 2009 at 11:58 pm
that was very very interesting topic
On December 30, 2009 at 9:08 am
This makes sense. I’m sure Pharmaceutical companies will shut it down, since they can’t make a profit from it.
On December 31, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Leeches sound so horrible but if they do the job, it’s wonderful to have them. We want to use what works.
On December 31, 2009 at 2:28 pm
wonderful! ..very strange cures..nice article. thanks for sharing
On December 31, 2009 at 7:09 pm
modern medicine is enough for me, don’t think I’ll be trying leeches in a hurry – very interesting though!
On January 1, 2010 at 1:44 am
Ughhh… but good article. Thank you.
On January 5, 2010 at 4:25 am
very good health remedies. liked it! Thanks for sharing.