Maggot debridement therapy in the tropics – Preliminary outcomes from a tertiary hospital

This paper aimed to describe the clinical outcomes and patients’ acceptance of Maggot debridement therapy (MDT) at a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Patients with non-viable tissue (NVT) covering at least 25% of wound bed on lower limbs and/or unable to tolerate sharp debridement at the bedside were recruited between January and August 2021. Sterile medical-grade maggots of Lucilla Cuprina were used. Wound specialist nurses assessed the size and wound to determine the type of MDT, either Baggots or free-range larvae (FRL), and the number of maggots required prior to commencement of therapy. Wound sites were measured and photographed at multiple time points: before the start of MDT therapy, during the wound review at 48 or 72 h after each cycle of MDT and completion of therapy. Three patients received Baggot therapy, while the remaining 11 received FRL therapy. The mean age for patients receiving Baggot and FRL were 78.3 (SD = 10.6) and 63.6 (11.4), respectively. Each patient received three cycles of MDT treatment on average. The most common type of wound was ray amputated toe wounds (n = 8), while the most common wound aetiology was arterial ulcerations (n = 12). A reduction of NVT was observed in 11 out of 14 patients, and ten of these 11 patients achieved successful debridement (at least 25% reduction in NVT). Five out of 14 patients had to undergo amputation within the same admission due to poor wound healing, and 60% of these five patients failed to achieve successful debridement. MDT was quite well-accepted by the patients, and they felt some improvement in their wounds. MDT can facilitate wound healing through successful debridement and potentially reduce the need for amputation. Further research needs to be done regarding the type of MDT that is optimal to use in tropical countries with high humidity.