Konstantin Sukhov is the President of World Hirudotherapy Organization and expert of Complementary Medicine for Committee Protection of Health, The State Duma of Russian Federation. He is the Member of the Coordinating Council of the Traditional medicine, Ministry of Health of the Russia; Member of the Expanded Executive Board, European Society of Integrative Medicine (ESIM-Berlin). He is the author of more than 85 scientific works and books, dedicated to issues of general pathology; history of medicine, cardiology, pulmonology and gastroenterology on the Far North; the Vilyui encephalomyelitis; hirudotherapy; capillaroscopy and microcirculation.

The most common form of acute purulent inflammation of the tissues of the fingers is periungual felon or paronychia when inflammation begins at the edge of the nail plate due to minor skin injuries. During the development process may complete defeat periungual roller and be fiber, which is accompanied by severe pain syndrome and disability of the patient. The main conventional treatment was surgery. In my clinical practice we apply the hirudotherapy (medicinal leech therapy), which effectively eliminates the inflammatory process and allows you to avoid surgery. Here are the most typical clinical examples. The patient, 40 years, of paronyhii the first phalanx of the 4th finger of the right hand developed as a result of hangnails. At the time of treatment was the third day of the disease: the patient is concerned about increasing constant severe bursting pain in the damaged finger, last night joined the growing attacks of acute pulsating pain. Objectively: state of moderate severity, the patient is partially able-bodied. Phalanx of the 4th finger of the right hand: you can clearly see the tissue with translucent purulent contents, in the form of a strip of outer inner (medial) edge of the nail plate, surrounded by a tense, hot, swollen and congested skin. At the session of hirudotherapy, oversight occurred of two medical leeches on the second phalanx of the finger, one on the outer and inner side exposure to the full saturation (24 and 55 min). After self falling of the leeches, the bites of the superimposed hot wet cotton pads during the inspection was a day after the consoles leeches: The pain is not bothering, it is noted moderately severe arching unpleasant sensations in the region of the inner edge of the nail plate. Plot purulent inflammation eliminated, it remains moderately severe swelling and redness directly around the site of inflammation. During the inspection on the second day after the treatment with leeches - complaints patient does not show any edema and hyperemia of the skin on the former site of inflammation is not observed. Observation on the third day after treatment was inflammation eliminated and the function of the finger is fully restored. Thus, for the elimination of the inflammatory process and full recovery of the patient required one session of treatment with leeches, two leeches and two days of clinical observations.