Surgeons use leeches to reattach woman's face

Surgeons use leeches to reattach woman's face


Leeches were used to reattach the woman's face. Pic from www.thesun.co.uk

Swedish surgeons have managed to reattach a woman's face after a horrific dog attack — using hundreds of LEECHES.

The woman had a huge chunk of her face bitten off when she was mauled by her pet.

The horrific wound spanned from her upper lip all the way to her eye.

As she was rushed to hospital her relatives managed to keep hold of the torn off skin and keep it chilled.

Doctors at Skane Hospital, in Malmo, southern Sweden, then reattached the flesh with the help of 358 leeches.

Surgeon Stina Klasson said: "The most important thing was to get blood into the torn-off body part, which we managed to do within an hour of the start of the operation."

The leeches were used to force blood to flow through into the damaged skin.

Ms Klasson added: "The grower who supplies the hospital with leeches ran out, so more had to be flown in from the UK."

During the complicated op — which lasted 15 hours — medics repaired the woman's lip, nose and parts of her cheek.

Doctors said the operation was successful, but the Swedish woman, who has not been named, will continue to need reconstructive surgery in the future.

Fellow surgeon Jens Larsson added: "The results appear to be good. Her whole nose has survived. The patient can breathe, eat and talk." - www.thesun.co.uk