NASAL HIRUDINIASIS IN A TODDLER

Received 2022-08-16; Accepted 2023-07-23; Published 2024-01-02

Authors

  • E-Ting Wannitta Wong Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 88586 Kota Kinabalu Sabah, Malaysia.
  • Charlene Patricia Malakun Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 88586 Kota Kinabalu Sabah, Malaysia.
  • Siti Hajar Sanudin Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 88586 Kota Kinabalu Sabah, Malaysia.
  • Jeyasakthy Saniasiaya Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Universiti Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22452/jummec.vol27no1.15

Keywords:

Nasal leech; epistaxis; hirudiniasis; toddler

Abstract

Nasal hirudiniasis poses a significant challenge to the patient and the attending physician, especially when involving a toddler. Herein, we report a three-year-old child who presented with unilateral spontaneous epistaxis, with witnessed leech in the left nostril. We highlight a simple technique of nasal leech removal using an application of lignocaine nasal spray in the child under adequate sedation. The challenge in removing a leech from a toddler’s nasal cavity is attributed mainly to the combination of anxious parents, an uncooperative child, and the characteristics of the leech, such as its slimy surface. A simple bedside technique using lignocaine nasal spray may be adequate and may reduce the necessity of admission and the risk of general anaesthesia.

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Published

2024-01-02

Issue

Vol. 27 No. 1 (2024)

Section

Research article

License

All authors agree that the article, if editorially accepted for publication, shall be licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 to allow others to freely access, copy and use research provided the author is correctly attributed, unless otherwise stated. All articles are available online without charge or other barriers to access. However, anyone wishing to reproduce large quantities of an article (250+) should inform the publisher. Any opinion expressed in the articles are those of the authors and do not reflect that of the University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.