Anyone willing to volunteer?

This comes under the "I don't believe it" section of research. Good idea - applaudable aims in wound care BUT you would have to give me an anti-emetic, sedative, gloves, goggles, moonsuit and 12 foot pole to do teh dressings!

http://www.ucihs.uci.edu/com/pathology/sherman/home_pg.htm

[FROGGYLEGS, LPN]

Sexy back-lighting of Placobdella ornata!

This is from a link to a leech page found on the maggot page. Yes sexyblack lighting .... is actually the name of the link found on the leech page. Someone please tell me what is sexy about this!!!!

[gwenith, BSN, RN]

I remember reading my MOTHER's nursing text book ( form the 1950's It had a section on "applicaiton of leeches". Nurses had to 1) count the leeches both before and after application and

2) ensure that the leeches were not applied near a "bodily orifice"

The mental image that THAT directive conjured up has been with me ever since.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

I've used maggots one time in my career: case was elderly bedbound patient that had thick escar debriding products wern't touching.

Had reported a broken screen on my telemetry unit (no air those days)---- went to change patients trach one day, guess what crawled out. Incident report filed. Screens were replaced PRONTO. Unit was next to get air conditioning too.

[Jenny P]

I've cared for patients (back 30+ years ago) that were debilitated and poor who had had maggots in wounds when I went to change dressings. The first time was terrible, but then after that it wasn't so bad because I knew that they would be clean wounds. I just always felt like I needed to bathe in Kwell and chlorhexadene or lye soap afterwards!

I remember in particular (this was the first time I saw maggots) some old bachelor brothers who had been on a drinking binge after finding money while ripping down a building: one had died of alcohol intoxication and they were found at the same time a few days later. We gloved and gowned before touching the survivor; undressed and put him in a tub, then found he was wearing another pair of long johns that his body hair had grown through! He had a "bed" sore on his hip where he'd been found lying; this was badly infested with maggots. It was very clean! I nearly lost it when I realized what the creepy crawly things were; but the wounds were some of the cleanest ones I've ever seen. (this was back in 1967 when I was a student; I doubt if I will ever forget that smell! And I still get the willys when I think about it!).

Aren't you glad I shared this with you?

[colleen10]

There was an awesome T.V. show on TLC months ago about Leeches, Maggots and Bees used as medical therapy.

It was an hour long special and it took place in London England at I think the Prince or Princess' Hospital. Not sure.

The thought of it kind of creeps me out but in watching the show if you could just see the progress the patients were making with maggot therapy when all other interventions failed, it was awesome. At first when I first started watching I was literally jumping around the living room yelping.

[atownsendrn]

oh gross!!!!!

I have heard about this type of therapy, but all I can say is - oh gross!! I would have to leave the dressing changes up to the ET nurse.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

Seen maggots in wounds etc, never used them.

Used leeches frequently. Used mainly on microsurgery, reimplantation etc. "Hirudis" came from the pharmacy where they were kept in an aquarium.

[RNIAM, BSN, RN]

I think it is awesome. I can see such a benifit to this therapy. It looks nasty but if it heals wounds that would otherwise cause amputation I say go for it. I have seen a few wounds that could have used some maggot therapy for sure. Awesome article, thanks for sharing it.