Question

Mr. Flores has a chronic pressure ulcer, and test results show significant bacterial growth in the wound. The healthcare provider has prescribed larval therapy, and Mr. Flores asks you to explain how putting maggots on his pressure ulcer will help. Which is your best response?

1) The maggots will eat the bacteria and reduce bacterial growth on your pressure ulcer.
2) The maggots secrete an enzyme that will make your pressure ulcer less painful.
3) The maggots are the fastest method for treating a pressure ulcer.
4) The maggots will help your pressure ulcer to drain.

Answer 1

Larval therapy uses maggots to clean non-healing wounds, such as chronic pressure ulcers, by consuming dead tissue and helping to eliminate bacteria, which promotes healing. This treatment has been approved by the FDA and is especially useful when traditional methods are not effective.

Step-by-step explanation:

Larval therapy is a medical treatment that uses live maggots for cleaning non-healing wounds, such as pressure ulcers. This type of treatment can be beneficial for patients like Mr. Flores who has a chronic pressure ulcer, especially when there is significant bacterial growth in the wound. Maggots, the larvae of flies, are placed on dead flesh, where they consume the dead tissue without affecting living cells. This debridement not only cleans the wound but also helps to eliminate bacteria, promoting the healing process. In the case of Mr. Flores's chronic pressure ulcer, the maggots could help by removing necrotic tissue which is essential for recovery and to prevent further infection or complications like gangrene.

The maggots used in larval therapy are specifically raised in sterile laboratory conditions and are a prescription medical device, approved by the FDA. This treatment can be seen as an alternative when traditional methods, such as antibiotics or surgical debridement, have failed or are not suitable.