Short description
Before the introduction of antibiotic therapy, maggots were routinely used to treat wounds. Now it appears certain bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics, maggots have once again become a viable treatment option, especially for slow-healing wounds. Fleischmann (trauma and reconstructive surgery, Bietigheim Hospital, Germany), and his co-aut
Long description
Impressive Results for Slow-healing Wounds
An Ancient Treatment - Rediscovered
Fly larvae have been used for centuries to successfully treat wounds. However, once penicillin was discovered, and antibiotic therapy became common worldwide, maggot therapy was forgotten. But now that bacteria are becoming increasingly resistant to modern antibiotics, maggot therapy is experiencing a resurgence.
Maggots Promote Healing
Fly larvae can debride and help heal chronic wounds in a form of biosurgery. As strange as it sounds, maggot therapy is often a patient's last chance to prevent amputation of a limb. The results of maggot therapy have been impressive in treating diabetic foot ulcers, slow-healing wounds resulting from circulatory problems, and pressure sores in bed-bound patients: over a majority of these wounds - many of them in existence for years - heal without pain or side effects.
Everything You Need to Know About Maggot Therapy
This text contains extensive, reader-friendly information on maggot therapy. There is an overview of the pertinent fly species, a history of maggot therapy, and information on maggots' mode of action and application. In addition to detailed descriptions of the clinical problems for which maggots can be used, there are case studies and questions and answers from medical practice.