LOWER LIMB SAVED FROM AMPUTATION THROUGH HERBAL MEDICINE ALONG WITH HIRUDOTHERAPY
S. M. Arif Zaidi*
ABSTRACT
Limb amputation is the only option in most of the cases of gangrenous
wounds. A gangrenous wound of the lower legs is a relatively common
condition amongst adults that causes pain and social distress.
Although, many factors lead to gangrenous wounds but in order to
ascertain the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment, an
interdisciplinary approach to the systematic assessment of the patient
may be helpful. The present study was conducted on a 78-year-old
woman suffering from non-healing gangrenous wound (on the right
foot) and facing the plan of amputation. The patient was having severe
pain and foul smelling in the wound. The wound was full with
numerous maggots. The patient was kept on Unani medicine besides
hirudotherapy. Wound dressing was done with unripe papaya along
with honey as it has a very good cleansing action to remove the slough
from the wound. The therapy proved useful and wound was completely
healed in three and half months.
Keywords: Non healing gangrenous ulcer, hirudotherapy, unripe papaya.
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