Pages 505–512 Augmented blood removal after medicinal leech feeding in congested tissue flaps

Abstract—Reconstructive microsurgery is performed to reattach, transfer, or transplant body tissues. Venous congestion is a com-plication that threatens the viability of the affected tissue and is often treated with medicinal leeches. Leech therapy has two phases: active bloodletting and passive bleeding from the leech wound after detachment, which can last for several hours. Unfor-tunately, the small blood volumes removed by medicinal leeches are generally ineffective in decongesting tissue. Our goal was to develop a device to augment blood removal during the passive-bleeding phase of leech therapy with the use of a porcine model of venous congestion. Results indicated that the use of the device resulted in significant increases in blood retrieval relative to reports of passive bleeding alone (141%, 156%, and 155 % in 1, 2, and 3 hours, respectively). These results are an encouraging first step toward development of a mechanical device that completely replaces the use of medicinal leeches in modern medicine