European Journal of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences

EFFICACY OF LEECH THERAPY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SUBDURAL HEMATOMA-A CASE STUDY

P. Senthilkumar* and K. Balagurusamy

ABSTRACT

Acute subdural hematoma is the most common type of traumatic intra cranial hematoma accounting for 24% cases of severe head injuries and carries highest mortality. The traditional Siddha system of medicine has 32 types of external treatment methodologies of which Attai vidal (Leech therapy), is one among them. It is an invasive procedure which is used to detoxify the blood and also to used to treat the chronic diseases especially varicose ulcer, varicose eczema, abscess and also acute conditions like contusion, swelling, tumours and hematoma. The present work is a case report of a patient of 71 years, with presenting complaints of tremors, severe head ache, vomiting, giddiness, unsteady gait, insomnia, difficulty in handling goods and amnesia for the past 15 days with the history of trauma at the right frontoparietal region. She was diagnosed as a case of Subdural hematoma 25mm with a midline shift of 3mm and was treated at Velumailu Siddha medical college, Department of Aruvai maruthuvam using Leech therapy for a period of 40 days. The MRI Brain was repeated every 15 days which showed remarkable improvement showing regression in the size of Hematoma and the midline shift resolved completely. The results revealed that Medicinal leeches could offer promising contributions to cases of subdural hematoma which is cheap and effective.

Keywords: Siddha surgery, Leech therapy, Subdural hematoma, Natural treatment, Attai vidal.