2 minute read
The Yuck Factor
Katy Breeze likes nothing more than placing maggots into an open wound.
“The question everyone asks is, ‘Will I feel them moving around?’ It’s the ‘yuck’ factor.”
It could be straight out of a horror movie. But as a specialist tissue viability nurse, Katy sees the ‘massive’ benefits of larval therapy –using maggots to clean wounds.
Katy and the Skin Care Service :: Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust support people whose wounds are proving hard to heal. “A wound can’t heal while there’s dead and decaying flesh or infection, so we need to remove it. We can use traditional methods, but it can take weeks for the wound to become completely clean. Maggots can do the job in days.”
How does it work? “The larvae eat the dead flesh but leave healthy tissue alone,” says Katy. “When we put the bag into the wound, they’re almost invisible but when they come out four days later, they’ve grown quite a lot!”
Is it always a success? “It rarely fails unless the maggots become dehydrated, drown or suffocate because of a lack of oxygen, so we look after them well while they’re in the wound.”
How do people respond to the idea? “They’re sometimes nervous but most are desperate to get back to normal life so they’ll give it a go.
Some people do feel them, others don’t. We try to help the person see the sensation as a sign that the treatment is working. It’s great to see a wound that wouldn’t heal suddenly responding. It means so much to the person – it’s a huge step closer to regaining their life.”
