Effectiveness of Chronic Wound Debridement with the Use of Larvae of Lucilia Sericata

Abstract

The process of successful wound healing depends on effective debridement and infection control. One method of wound debridement, known since antiquity, is based on the use of fly larvae. Solid scientific evidence proves that maggot debridement therapy (MDT), like surgical intervention, can be effectively and safely used to remove necrotic tissue. Based on a review of the related literature, this study was designed to assess the effectiveness of chronic wound cleansing with the use of larvae of Lucilia sericata (Phaenicia sericata). Maggot therapy, applied in wound debridement and treatment, is a safe and effective method. Its benefits are associated with debridement, disinfection and faster tissue growth. MDT may reduce the duration of antibiotic therapy and the need for hospitalization, or it may decrease the number of outpatient visits required. It is a relatively cost-effective method, and, in addition to financial gains, it may reduce the frequency of inpatient treatment. In the literature, an increasing amount of scientific evidence confirms that such treatment can effectively reduce the biofilm and bacterial load in a wound.

New Insights Into Culturable and Unculturable Bacteria Across the Life History of Medicinal Maggots Lucilia sericata (Meigen) (Diptera: Calliphoridae)

“…The controlled therapeutic usage of this kind of myiasis is termed maggot debridement therapy (MDT) (Sherman, 2009). Maggot debridement therapy is currently addressed as biosurgery in which live blowfly larvae are used to cure chronic wounds persistently infected with drug-resistant bacteria (Wollina et al, 2000;Cowan et al, 2013;Bazalinski et al, 2019). The outline of modern MDT was based on the clinical trials conducted in 1990s (Sherman et al, 1995;Fleischmann et al, 2004).…”

Parasite–bacteria interrelationship

“…The use of larvae of dipterous flies or maggots for the treatment of wounds is based on multitude of observations since antiquity. The technique was applied in American civil war and during the First World War and was later approved by the FDA in 2004 for use in humans (Yan et al 2018;Bazaliński et al 2019). This form of natural, relatively cheap, and effective therapy is used for the treatment of diabetic ulcers, venous ulcers, traumatic and postsurgical wounds, osteomyelitis, and burns (El-Tantawy 2015).…”

“…This form of natural, relatively cheap, and effective therapy is used for the treatment of diabetic ulcers, venous ulcers, traumatic and postsurgical wounds, osteomyelitis, and burns (El-Tantawy 2015). In fact, this form of biotherapy, termed maggot debridement therapy (MDT), helps curtail the duration of antimicrobial therapy and the need for hospitalization, or it may reduce the number of outpatient visits (Bazaliński et al 2019).…”

Excellent antibacterial activity of Slovak honeys on bacteria mostly infecting chronic wounds

“…The current available alternative topical treatment methods of chronic wounds include topical antiseptic agents, such as chlorine dioxide, sodium chloride, acetic acid, cadexomer iodine, cetrimide, chlorhexidine gluconate, povidone iodine, sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, or silver dressings (10). The old, for years neglected non-antibiotic antimicrobial treatment methods are represented by phage therapy, (7,11) maggot therapy (12,13), phytotherapy (14) or apitherapy. Apitherapy includes therapeutic usage of bee products, such as honey, propolis, royal jelly or bee venom therapy (15,16,17,18,19,20,21).…”