Leech in the hypopharynx: an unusual cause of bleeding from throat

Combined Military Hospital, Peshawar and Army Medical College, Rawalpindi. This paper presents as a case of a 22 year-old young man who presented with a 4-day history of bleeding from throat. Indirect laryngoscopy revealed a blackish living foreign body in the right laryngo-pharynx. Pharyngo-laryngoscopy under general anaesthesia showed a leech, which was removed by forceps. We conclude that a high index of suspicion of leech infestation is required when faced with bleeding from throat