Multiple pseudolymphomas caused by Hirudo medicinalis therapy

Therapy with medicinal leeches (Hirudo medicinalis) is now frequently appli ed in plastic surgery and in the management of chronic venous insufficiency : We observed a patient in whom firm, brown-red, pea-sized papules develope d at each site where leeches had been applied on the lower legs. Histology, immunohistology, and molecular analysis of T-cell receptor and immunoglobu lin heavy chain gene rearrangement proved these lesions to be follicular ps eudolymphomas.