Leech Does The Job Better
 A mechanical leech that does the work of the real thing, without the mess and the "ick" factor, might work to help patients heal better after tricky surgery, a team of researchers said on December 12.
They who have conducted their studies in the University of Wisconsin (USA), have developed a sterile and efficient version of the ancient physicians' tool and say
animal tests show the glass device can work to keep fresh blood flowing to surgical wounds, helping them heal more cleanly.
Leeches may be creepy but they do have legitimate medical uses, said physiologist Nadine Connor of the University of Wisconsin, who is helping develop and test the device.
One of them is in treating a condition called venous congestion, which can be a complication of reconstructive surgery -- such as that done if a person loses a limb or finger or after cancer operations.
"What happens is the arteries pump blood into the reconstructed tissue, but the associated veins do not let the blood flow out, usually because the veins have become clotted," Connor said. "The excess blood in the tissue, if severe enough, can deprive the tissue of oxygen and other nutrients and can cause it to die."
A leech has natural anticoagulants in its saliva, and through its constant sucking keeps blood flowing. Leeches have been used, for instance, after the surgery done to reconstruct a breast when a tumor is removed. But it has some real drawbacks, not the least of which is a person's natural abhorrence of the slimy bloodsuckers.
The researchers have designed a bell-shaped glass device, about half an inch long, that pulls blood through the wound to keep tissue healthy. The device has been successfully tested on animals and should be ready for human tests soon.
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Khorsheed.com - Jan 2002
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