Wound care treatment in patients with chronic conditions, provided in ambulatory settings and applying novel, as well as natural methods, is frequently discussed in the related literature11,15,16. The increasing availability of advanced technologies and medical products is a determinant for an increasingly more effective application of wide-ranging options in daily clinical practice for specialists in various areas. In modern medicine, there are no doubts whether to treat wounds in outpatient and home settings; instead, discussions focus on methods that may effectively be used to reduce tissue destruction quickly and safely for the patient, in order to enable improvement in his/her functional and health status. The concerns related to the therapeutic use of maggots seem understandable and are mainly related to the concerns arising from the visual aspects and the fear of potential pain. However, it should be remembered that many remedies used in medicine are of natural origin with scientifically proven benefits and medical properties.
Biological therapy methods using Lucilia sericata larvae have many advocates worldwide, yet it is still fairly unknown and not commonly applied in daily practice because of the limited awareness and insufficient experience of medical and nursing personnel11,13,17,18. Mirabzadeh et al. point out that the application of the larvae can be carried out by the family or caregivers, yet it must be carried out under strict medical supervision19. The current study was designed to investigate the effectiveness of pressure sore debridement in patients receiving treatment in home setting (long-term and palliative care). The larvae application model recommended by PTLR experts14 was used, with loose larvae that could freely penetrate and clean the penetrated necrotic tissue, with an average conversion rate of 5-10 larvae per cm². The use of larvae in the biobag was abandoned due to the depth and penetration of the subcutaneous necrosis of the qualified subjects (3/4 NPIAP) and the potentially weaker effect compared to loose larvae in terms of the market price - greater losses compared to the gains for the patient)11,14,17.
The results obtained in a group of 18 patients show that in the course of a 3-day therapy, necrotic tissue was removed, at a rate of 67% on average, in full-thickness wounds (NPIAP Stage 3) and in wounds penetrating the bone (NPIAP Stage 4). The analyses did not confirm statistically significant relations (p > 0.05) between the area of the wound debrided by maggots and variables such as the period from wound onset, location, surface size, and the depth of the tissue structure damage. It has been observed that deep wounds and wounds with complex surface structures have a larger surface area due to their topography. This means that a dose of 5-10 worms per cm2 of visible wound size may not be sufficient for a quick one-time clean-up. This may explain the negative correlation between wound depth and debridement efficiency. The lack of such statistical relationships may result from the small size of the study group.
In a study by Polat et al., involving a group of 36 patients with deep pressure sores, maggots were placed in the wound for 72 hours and then washed away. The procedure was repeated twice a week, and effective wound cleansing was achieved in the majority of the cases (78.9%) with four to six treatment sessions and in seven patients (21.1%) after eight to twelve sessions. In our study, the debridement was faster, and re-debridement was performed in 33% of the subjects. In addition, the cleaning time was not more than 10 days and was related only to the agent being used. The larvae can be ordered once a week.
According to the authors, MDT is a fast option that can effectively be applied to chronic pressure injuries unresponsive to conventional treatments and other therapeutic methods20.
In our study, based on the adopted protocol, the evaluation was performed every 24 hours in order to evaluate larvae viability, the wound cleansing process as well as the replacement of the exuded non-woven fabric. Re-securing the wound was to ensure safety and reduce the risk of skin damage by discharge and larvae migration, which is rare. Larvae migration from the wound occurs mainly due to factors such as: reaching maturity (usually after 3-4 days) and the absence of necrotic tissue in the wound, opening of the purulent reservoir or with exuding fluid present during this treatment method12,14. Despite the fact that there are different methods of skin protection and wound protection against larvae migration used worldwide, there is no single confirmed optimal method. In our study, the basic protection associated with using non-woven fabrics and zinc ointment was implemented, the effectiveness of which has been confirmed on a sample of several hundred people over the last few years. During the observation and treatment of wounds, no adverse effects were noted in the examined patients related to larvae leaving the wound and damaging the skin, although a certain group of respondents (25%) had such concerns.
Sherman investigated the effectiveness of conventional treatments (frequent change of wound dressing, local application of antiseptics or antibiotics, hydrogel or hydrocolloid dressing, surgical wound debridement) in comparison to maggot therapy in patients with a diabetic foot. The author reported that after 5 weeks, wounds subjected to conventional treatments were still covered with necrotic tissue on the surface constituting 33% of the area, whereas all maggot-treated wounds were completely cleansed after 4 weeks (p = 0.001)21.
A study conducted by Steenvoorde et al. in a group of 101 patients demonstrated poorer effectiveness of MDT in individuals with advanced ischemia22. These observations may be linked to hyperalgesia, commonly occurring in patients with atherosclerosis in the lower extremities, and to increased sensation of pain induced by a foreign body present within the wound. In the current study, treatment with pregabalin or gabapentin was introduced not later than 1 week before applying larvae in patients with symptoms of hyperalgesia. On closer examination of the current findings, we also made some interesting observations regarding the so-called "concerning symptoms" during the therapy.
It appears that a larger amount of exudate (or the specific odor referred to as "foul smell") produced by the wound during the therapy corresponds to a more effective cleansing of the wound. Notably, autolytic properties of the larvae are related to the production of proteins and extracorporeal digestion, which explains why large amounts of fluids are discharged by the wound. The foregoing observation requires further investigation in a larger group of patients. The current findings show a low degree of pain experienced by the patients; however, researchers point to mental aspects and sensory perceptions related to the wound, which may increase the experience of pain, specifically in patients with ischemia and symptoms of hyperalgesia. Furthermore, researchers also point to visual and mental aspects, which may be observed among women23. Two studies have suggested that the approval level could be higher if healthcare professionals did not reject the method and did not discourage patients from using it24,25.
The acceptance for the application of maggots in medicine and in health sciences is gradually increasing, which is particularly visible during the current pandemic. The reasons for the acceptance of this method by patients are associated with the long duration of treatments based on other methods, the chronic nature of the wound, as well as poor experiences related to other cleansing methods, ultimately negatively affecting the quality of the patients' life.
Summarizing the described procedures of application and treatment with MDT, we stress that the use of medical maggots in wound debridement in home care settings is safe, inexpensive and effective. Nevertheless, it should be conducted by trained and experienced medical personnel (nurse or doctor). After assessing the patient's condition and the patient's tolerance of the MDT, the wound should be mechanically prepared using selected technique (recommended use of basic surgical instruments)5,6,8,12,14. The application of maggots to dry black necrosis is ineffective and not recommended11,12,14. During ongoing therapy, skin protection and patient surveillance is a key component. We recommend simple methods of skin protection, yet others such as stoma paste and hydrocolloids can be used alternatively9,11,15. We do not recommend the standard use of maggots in a biobag for deep and penetrating pressure ulcer wounds due to low efficacy12. The limitations of the method are very narrow and mainly relate to documented allergic reactions to chitin, neoplastic tissue destruction in the head and neck area (debridement in the hospital setting under supervision due to the risk of hemorrhage), increased pain sensation with ineffective treatment, low level of tolerance in questionnaire assessment12,14,20,21. The use of MDT with subsequent implementation of NPWT reduces the wound healing time and improves the patients' quality of life. Since the relevant wound debridement method is not commonly used, and there are no well-defined criteria for its application and duration, the current study presents results of a small-size group, which may be reflected in the lack of statistical significance of the findings reported in the Results section. Having considered the foregoing, further research focusing on the method described herein will enable more detailed analyses of the presented variables.
In summary, wound debridement using Lucilia sericata larvae is a fast and effective method enabling the preparation of the wound bed. The use of MDT in home and outpatient settings is safe and acceptable for patients and their caregivers.