Sunday, November 14, 2010

Rare Use of Drug Derived From Leech Saliva Lets Heart Transplant - and Wedding - Proceed

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) November 8, 2007

Los Angeles resident Daryl Vinson, 39, desperately needed a heart transplant, but was allergic to heparin; a blood thinner that plays a critical role in transplantation surgery.

Rather than allowing their patient to languish and die, members of the heart transplant team at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center created an alternative, using a synthetic form of a protein found in the saliva of leeches. Bivalirudin was recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of certain cardiac conditions, but because it has no antidote and its use in transplantation is so new, the doctors had to develop a game plan and specific protocols in advance of the operation.

Vinson, a former Air Force air traffic controller who also served with the Global Command and Control System, caught what he thought was a common cold that quickly got worse in early June. After suffering a nearly fatal collapse, he was diagnosed with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, a severely weakened, poorly functioning heart.

While dilated cardiomyopathy can be caused by a number of factors, including reduced blood flow to the heart ("ischemic" disease), Vinson's condition likely stemmed from a viral infection.

"Mr. Vinson appeared to be in relatively good health, so it was a surprise to everyone, including his physicians, that his heart function was so bad," says Ernst Schwarz, M.D., Ph.D., a specialist in transplantation cardiology.

"The doctors basically told me I was dying," recalls Vinson, who had returned to Los Angeles in January from his hometown of Memphis to direct communications for the Compton school district. During a year back home helping his mother and disabled stepfather, Vinson had fallen in love and become a father.

"I had to call my fiancée in Memphis and tell her I probably couldn't get married in October; that I was dying," Vinson said.

He was transferred to Cedars-Sinai on June 29, and the initial plan was to implant a cardiac defibrillator, says Schwarz. That effort was thwarted by the discovery of a massive blood clot in the patient's left ventricle, the heart's main pumping chamber. A heart biopsy revealed an unusual amount of scar tissue for a patient with such a short history of non-ischemic cardiomyopathy, suggesting limited potential for recovery. A new heart was Vinson's only real hope.

"Here's a guy who was playing football not long ago, who was very successful and looking forward to marriage and family," says Sinan Simsir, M.D., surgical director of Cedars-Sinai's Heart Transplant Program. "The next week, he has the heart function of someone near death."

Lawrence Czer, M.D., medical director of Cedars-Sinai's Heart Transplant Program, and director of Transplantation Cardiology, concurs: "Mr. Vinson had such an advanced case of heart failure that he was put on the organ wait list almost immediately."

With Vinson's heart working at just 10 percent capacity, his doctors were close to giving him an artificial heart pump to keep him alive, but a heart became available within three-and-a-half weeks, a remarkably short wait. But in his earlier course of treatment, Vinson was found to have an allergic reaction to heparin. Re-exposure during surgery could result in life-threatening clotting complications, says Simsir, so the team would have to use an alternative.

"Heparin is critical in transplantation because it prevents blood clots from forming while the patient is on the heart-lung machine," explains Czer, who says the situation intensified when it was verified Vinson had heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) syndrome, which prohibited use of any heparin-related blood thinner. This condition affects an estimated one to four percent of patients treated with heparin.

Fortunately, Simsir had previous experience using bivalirudin. Marketed as Angiomax, the heparin alternative is now indicated for use in coronary interventions, including angiograms and stent procedures, and for the treatment of angina, heart attack, deep vein thrombosis and other blood clots.

There was a problem, though. Typically, a blood thinner such as heparin is followed by a course of protamine to restore the blood's normal coagulation after surgery.

"There is no antidote for bivalirudin," says Czer, explaining the increased risk. "It has to be administered very carefully, and then you have to filter it out of the system while you are transfusing blood products to reduce the bleeding. We built this filtering into our protocol."

Prior to surgery, the transplant team developed new protocols for use of the agent, which took 24 hours to collect in the large quantities required. Bivalirudin presented two distinct challenges, according to Simsir: 1) the lack of an antidote and, 2) no proven track record. He adds that many transplant centers would have refused the case. "Who knows how many patients with HIT are turned down?"

Schwarz believes this encounter with bivalirudin will open the door to more transplant procedures for heparin-sensitive patients. "The agent's use is relatively new in the OR, so this has been a valuable experience for us."

The transplant was completed in a three-hour procedure without complications, thanks largely to bivalirudin, the synthetic form of hirudin, a powerful anticoagulant produced by the salivary glands of medicinal leeches. Vinson went home three weeks later.

"I have a new birthday, you know. It's July 25, 2007 - the day I got my new heart," he says.

THE "REST OF THE STORY"- After surgery, an in-hospital marriage ceremony
Just before surgery, Vinson presented a proposal and ring to his fiancée, Margo McLemore, who had dropped everything in Memphis to rush to his side in Los Angeles.

"I didn't get down on my knees, though, because I wasn't sure I'd be able to get back up," he adds with a laugh.

Also at Vinson's side throughout his ordeal was the man he calls "Pops," Don Ross, a prominent former newsman - one of the first African-Americans in the business - who is now involved in the entertainment industry.

Vinson remembers regaining consciousness after surgery: "I looked around and thought, I don't see angels, I don't hear singing - cool!"

That relief was followed by a flood of emotion and overwhelming gratitude for the gift of his life, Vinson says.

"I was thanking God and crying. I'd never experienced such love, compassion, competence and care. I wondered, what did I do to deserve this? I have a joy that I can't even explain."

Vinson's exhilaration inspired him to "tie the knot" right away, he says. The couple and their witnesses gathered Aug. 10 in Cedars-Sinai's chapel for a small, simple Judeo-Christian ceremony.

Though Vinson faces several months of recuperation and weekly medical checks, his prognosis is encouraging - two biopsies have shown no sign of organ rejection. He looks forward to returning home with his new wife and young son, Joshua, and to resuming the job he'd already learned to love in Compton.

Aside from the physicians and staff who saved his life, Vinson feels indebtedness - and a sense of responsibility - to his anonymous donor.

"I have double to do now, because another life was given to me. Someone died so that I could live, and I need to be worthy of that sacrifice."

(http://www.prweb.com/releases/heart/transplant/prweb555111.htm)

Saturday, November 13, 2010

Top 10 Bizarre Medical Treatments

Medicinal leeches are now making a comeback in microsurgery. They provide an effective means to reduce blood coagulation, relieve venous pressure from pooling blood, and in reconstructive surgery to stimulate circulation in reattachment operations for organs with critical blood flow, such as eye lids, fingers, and ears. The therapeutic effect is not from the blood taken in the meal, but from the continued and steady bleeding from the wound left after the leech has detached. The most common complication from leech treatment is prolonged bleeding, which can easily be treated, although allergic reactions and bacterial infections may also occur. Devices called “mechanical leeches” have been developed which dispense heparin and perform the same function as medicinal leeches, but they are not yet commercially available.

(http://malik4u.blogspot.com/2009/11/top-10-bizarre-medical-treatments.html)

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Stand Out ! and be a Qualified Leech Therapist..

Now in Malaysia! *FREE* Registration : Leech Therapy Courses By International Leech Therapist, Mehdi Jaffari

Further information on the Leech Therapy Courses is per the link below. If you require more information, please do not to hesitate to contact us via email info@leechmiracle.com or Tel : + 603-2282 3782.

  
REGISTRATION FORM & COURSE CONTENT CAN BE DOWNLOADED HERE...
http://pdf.investintech.com/v/w/nefjhjf/Flyers_LeechMiracle.html

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Treating Ear and Hearing Problems with Leech Therapy

Leech therapy can help cure the three most common ear and hearing problems - Sudden Hearing Loss, Tinnitus and Otitis Media. Sudden hearing loss happens immediately as the name indicates. This condition can take place over a period of a few hours or a few days and although there are a few known causes such as a vascular problem or an immune system problem, the most common cause is unknown. 

Tinnitus is often described as a ringing or a swishing sound in the ears. It can be caused by an infection, an inner ear disease, side effects from medications or exposure to sudden and very loud noise. 

Otitis media or infection of the middle ear is the most common ear problem, not only in children but in adults as well. Fluid buildup, inflammation, or swelling posterior to the eardrum brought about by a bacterial or a viral infection has occurred. It's known that colds and respiratory problems can also cause Otitis Media. 

How can Leech Therapy Help Ear and Hearing Problems 

People suffering from the above mentioned ailments can greatly benefit from leech therapy, particularly when the ear and hearing problem is caused by an infection or a vascular problem. 

Firstly, leeches secrete an anesthetic enzyme to desensitize the area and will then release beneficial enzymes and components into the bloodstream which will work to prevent the coagulation of blood and dissolve blood clots. Blood vessels will be dilated by the enzymes, bringing good circulation. Antibacterial enzymes will also be released to kill the bacteria that are causing the ear problem; these anti-bacterial agents will also boost the immune system and fight off further infection.

http://toolsforlife-dvd.com.au/ear_hearing.php

Bloodsucking aid

A simple principle lies at the heart of all hirudo-miracles. When leeches feed, they restore the flow of blood in healthy as well as damaged organs. Of course they don’t do this intentionally. Their saliva contains a natural thinner. Hirudin, that dilutes all organic obstacles: arterial sediments, cysts, clots and mutant cells that surround and protect malignant growths form the immune system’s agents. The leech needs the blood to circulate freely. Leeches don’t just drink blood, they feed by filtering it. In 20 to 60 minutes, a leech can go through several liters of blood, filtering and thinning it before it is returned to the vein. The 15-20 ml that it retains is the trash that your immune system couldn’t process and which can cause health problems. The filtered and thinned blood now circulated freely through your capillaries and arteries and works its own miracles as it harmonizes your body’s functions. This is especially noticeable if are being treated for hypertension or varicose veins. In addition the leech injects close to 20 unique enzymes and microelements that are active biological cleansers into your bloodstream. Hirudotherapy also reduces stress and normalizes sleeping patterns. Of course, it’s not the leech’s intention to relax you: it just wants to have a quiet meal, so nature has endowed it with capacity to calm and distract its host so it doesn’t notice the leech feeding!

Incidentally, it’s the enzymes that made the leech powder potent. Today, leech extract is an active component in anti-varicose creams and other medicinal cosmetic products.

In addition to all this, leeches sense which organs are unhealthy and target them. Their diagnosis is more accurate than endoscopies!

Needless to say, if you decide to undertake hirudotherapy you’ll need to be under a specialist’s supervision. Our bodies have thousands of interconnected energy points, and it often happens that to heal an ulcer, leeches are applies not only to the solar plexus, but also to the spleen and kidneys. Every cure has its own hirudo map!

The most surprising thing is that hirodotherapy is one of modern medicine’s most painless treatments. Don’t be afraid to try it. You’ll lie there waiting for the bite, but all you’ll feel is a slight prick and then a pleasant pulsation. And that’s it.

http://leech.agromedic.com/index.php/page/2/

Modern biochemistry has been able to point many Active Substances in the Leech Saliva.

HIRUDIN is responsible for inhibiting blood coagulation & increasing the activity of white blood cells. During the blood-drawing process it is of course necessary to keep the wound open and the blood from clotting.

CALIN also inhibits blood coagulation. Following the "fast" Hirudin, Calin is responsible for a slow cleansing of the wound by maintaining secondary-bleeding for approximately another 12 hours, again depending on the individual patient. This is what is referred to as the well known gentle blood-letting.

HYALURONIDASE the spreading factor, does its job in the meantime: the path is cleared for the active and healing substances to penetrate. It is a substance analogous to histamine (it could possibly also be acetylcholin) that has a dilatating effect on the blood vessels and hereby causes the blood to stream to the bite location.

EGLINES possess, amongst other assets, antiphlogistic (anti-inflammatory) properties.

ORGELASE, a bactericide that accelerates the blood flow and lyphatic system.

APYRASE, inhibits platelet aggregation.

BDELLIN & COLLAGENASE also inhibit blood coagulation by means of utilising different mechanisms. Furthermore some of these substances have anti-inflammatory and other additional effects.

DESTABILASE & PIYAVIT & other substances round-off the natural composition of active agents.

http://www.energetic-panacea.com/leech_therapy.htm

Leeches used to treat diabetes patients

A patient has leech treatment for diabetes in Kauman village in Pleret, Bantul regency, Yogyakarta. (JP/Slamet Sutanto) The leech (Hirudo medicinal) is a disgusting creature to many but in the hands of Muhyidin, it is believed to have the potential to cure diseases. Everyday, Muhyidin's house in Kauman village, Pleret, Bantul regency in Yogyakarta is full of patients waiting for leeches to suck their blood. The father of two explained that leeches can cure diseases since their saliva contains active substances including hirudin which is usually found in egg white and penicillin. Hirudin has the ability to dilute blood. The leech has three jaws and is equipped with 100 small teeth. When a leech bites and starts sucking blood, it releases hirudin which enters the body and gets into the circulation. Blood clots, or dirty blood inside the human body, will diffuse when affected by hirudin. The diffused dirty blood can later on be sucked out by the leech. "The leech speeds up circulation of the blood and makes the patient's body feel fresh," said Muhyidin. Faster blood circulation, he said, can also make the body's organs work faster. "It channels oxygen and nutrients to all parts of the body. If there's an obstacle some body organs may be disturbed and can eventually develop diseases," said Muhyidin. Based on the results of research carried out in Germany, leeches were also recognized as being capable of reducing pain and inflammation. This is because by sucking dirty blood, static and poisoned blood the circulation can be improved. Clogging is reduced and circulation becomes faster. "Leech treatment is well known all over the world and has been a research topic in the U.S., Russia, Germany and other European countries. It is used by many U.S. hospitals." he said. Leech treatment is believed to have other benefits, including curing schizophrenia and depression and stimulating the eyes. It can deflate a swollen tongue and reduce the pain of a sore appendix. Medical students and medical staff from England have visited to see the proof of the benefits of leech treatment. "After following leech therapy, I feel much better," said Sumitro, a stroke patient who has undergone leech therapy in Muhyidin's place seven times. The first time that he came Sumitro's body was stiff and he couldn't talk. But after five sessions of leech therapy Sumitro is now able to speak. "I also feel and stay healthy even though I take sugar in my drinks," said Bambang, from Lempuyangan, Yogyakarta who also has leech therapy. "My parents suffer from diabetes, get treatment and take medicines prescribed by doctors," said Bambang. Since he has been close to diabetes patients, Bambang is also diligent in reading about this disease. "I understand that diabetes can't be cured," he said. The problem is that diabetes patients who go to a doctor often do not feel much improvement. Even when they have followed medical advice, the diabetes can still get worse. "Seeing my parents' experience I'm sure that traditional therapy would be preferable." said Bambang.

Leeches ready to be used in alternative medical treatment. (JP/Slamet Susanto)

Skill in administering leech therapy was developed by Muhyidin through personal experience after suffering from diabetes for 10 years, from 1980-1990, badly affecting his leg. "My doctor recommended that I should have my leg amputated," he recalled. At that time one of his friends suggested that he should use leeches. He put two leeches on his leg to suck out the dirty blood. The result was that a week later the wound started drying and his foot wasn't amputated.

"Since then I have never felt pain again. Even when I drink I always add sugar, even though I have diabetes," he said. In the last few years, one of his neighbors in Kauman suffered similar wounds and his leg was almost amputated. Remembering his own experience, Muhyidin went to the rice fields looking for leeches to cure his neighbor. "The patient came to me to be cured. Since then, more patients started coming and I formally opened a leech treatment centre in 2002," he said. Now almost every day, tens of patients come to Muhyidin's house. Every patient is, on average, given four leeches. The number of leeches used depends on the seriousness of case. "If there's a diabetes patient with a leg in bad condition I'll place 11 leeches," he said. For the treatment, the patient pays Rp 12,500 (US$1.30) per leech. "Many patients are coming from poor families. For them, the treatment is free. It's a pity that they are sick and have to spend money on transport to get here, so why I should ask them to pay?" said Muhyidin. Muhyidin is often asked to go to different cities to practice his therapy. Others patients come to his home. "It's not just patients from Indonesia who come to my house. Patients from other countries also visit me," he said. He said his patients came from as far away as Japan, Hong Kong, China, France, Holland, England, South Korea, Taiwan and neighboring countries such as Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. Most of them suffer from diabetes. "I just got a call saying a group from Canada will come to have treatment," he said.

Leeches which are used for treatment can only be used once. After sucking blood during treatment the leech dies. He said it is hard to get new leeches from Yogyakarta and surrounding cities. "Pollution caused by pesticides has made the leech almost extinct. I'm forced to import leeches from Palembang (South Sumatra) because they are difficult to find here," he said