Leeches Help Reattach Woman's Face

Leeches did their part to help reattach a woman's face.

The constant sucking of 358 leeches, combined with their unique saliva that prevents blood clotting, helped restart circulation in the woman's face after she was attacked by a dog, according to the Swedish newspaper, The Local

CBS reports that the bite left the woman without a chunk of her face stretching from her eye to her upper lip. Her family salvaged the portions of her face and rushed her to the hospital in Malmo, Sweden.

"The grower who supplies the hospital with leeches ran out. More leeches had to be flown in from the UK,” specialist Stina Klasson told The Local.

UPI reports that the surgery was a success, but follow-up procedures will probably be necessary, doctors said.

PBS reports that leeches have been used in modern surgeries to reattach fingers, toes, ears, and scalps. They've also been used in skin flap surgery and breast reconstruction.

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