8. Maggot Debridement

For non-healing wounds to progress past the inflammatory stage, it is vital that necrotic tissue is quickly and effectively removed, a treatment that is known as debridement. Maggot therapy is the treatment of wounds with living fly larvae (maggots) to remove necrotic tissue. In recent years, much progress has been made in understanding the therapeutic principles of maggot-assisted debridement. This chapter describes the physiological and biochemical principles underpinning the extraordinary ability of medicinal maggots to precisely debride highly necrotic wounds in a matter of days without the need for surgical intervention.