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Wound healing
Leg ulcers

Combined application of moist exposed burn ointment and maggot therapy in wound healing

01 October 2022
Practice

Abstract

Objective:

Hard-to-heal wounds are a global health challenge, and effective treatments are still lacking. Moist exposed burn ointment (MEBO) and maggots are traditional treatments for promoting wound healing. This study was a preliminary exploration of combined maggot therapy and MEBO in the treatment of hard-to-heal wounds.

Method:

A coexistence experiment was conducted to determine the survival rates of maggots in MEBO. The maggots were placed in two different existence conditions: one set in MEBO (MEBO group), and another set as the control group (no MEBO) to compare survival rates. Case reports describe the use of the combined application of MEBO and maggots in the treatment of patients with hard-to-heal wounds.

Results:

The coexistence experiment indicated that maggots in the MEBO group had a higher survival rate. From the therapeutic effect of the clinical cases (n=7), the combined application was safe and effective, with all the reported wounds eventually healing.

Conclusion:

Based on the findings of this study, we believe the combined application of MEBO and maggots is a promising way of promoting wound healing. Further studies and clinical trials are needed to elucidate the mechanism of the combined application in promoting wound healing and to more persuasively clarify the therapeutic effect.

Hard-to-heal (chronic) wounds are a growing global health concern. In Europe, the number of patients with acute or hard-to-heal wounds is estimated to be 1.5–2.0 million.1 In the US, hard-to-heal wounds affect approximately 6.5 million people at any one time.2 In China, patients with hard-to-heal wounds accounted for 1.7‰ of the total number of hospitalised patients.3 These data demand that we pay greater attention to wound problems. The pathogenic factors involved in wound healing are changing, and their treatment becoming more challenging. With increasing ageing populations, hard-to-heal wounds such as pressure injuries, vasogenic wounds and diabetic ulcers have become a growing problem.

In general, there are three key goals of wound treatment: removal of the necrotic tissue; control of infection; and tissue regeneration. For hard-to-heal wounds, each treatment step can be difficult. At present, local therapy is the mainstay of wound care, and local treatment combinations, such as CXCR4 receptor inhibitor combined with growth factors, are showing great promise.4

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chronic
hard-to-heal
maggots
maggot therapy
MEBO
moist exposed burn ointment
wound
wound care
wound dressing
wound healing