B
Boondocksaint375
Guest
Maggots resolve foot infections
Does your Doc know about the use of maggots to cure foot infections without amputation, especially those infections that are MRSA? We have known about larval therapy since the Napoleonic wars, and they teach this technique to U.S. Army Special Forces medics.
Clinical studies began, in 1989, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of California. Results demonstrated that maggot therapy was more effective and efficient at debriding (cleaning) many types of infected and gangrenous wounds than commonly prescribed treatments.
Irvine reasoned, "If maggot therapy was effective enough to treat patients who otherwise would have lost limbs, despite modern surgical and antibiotic treatment, then we should be using maggot therapy before the wounds progress that far, and not as a last resort."
Recently, Professor Andrew Boulton and his team at Manchester University have been using green bottle fly larvae to treat 13 diabetic patients with MRSA contaminated foot ulcers. Results showed that larval therapy cured 12 of 13 patients within three weeks - faster than conventional treatments, which can take up to 28 weeks.
Professor Boulton said: "Maggots are the world's smallest surgeons. They remove dead tissue and bacteria, leaving the healthy tissue to heal. Still, we were very surprised to see such a good result for MRSA. There is no reason this can't be applied to many other areas of the body."
Veterinarians are also using maggot therapy. Several recent studies have shown the benefits for treating serious wounds in small animals (like dogs and cats) and larger animals (like horses). MDT is used most extensively for equine hoof and leg infections, but is also for cleaning necrotic tumors.
It would seem to be a no-brainer, to try this approach, rather than having a body part lopped off in the OR; but, let me guess, insurance pays for the amputation, but not for the maggots.
If you are looking for a doctor to evaluate you for treatment, or to use maggot therapy in your care, then begin by asking your own physician. After all, s/he knows you and your wound, already. There are many resources to assist the first-time user of medicinal maggots. If you see a smile, just ask how s/he would like to lose a foot!
We are again rapidly approaching the time when we will not have drugs to treat infection. MRSA, or Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, now accounts for 60 percent of hospital infections. It kills 100,000 patients each year, yet our hospitals refuse to test for it. To my knowledge, none of our local hospitals test for MRSA; yet, they test for AIDS, which only kills 20,000 per year.
Here is a good info web site: http://www.mercola.com/2000/oct/15/maggots.htm
In our world of MRSA infections, what is a doc to do? I would demand absolute proof, which is MRSA testing of my patients upon entry, and upon exit, of any hospital.
James Baker is a 30-year resident of Indian Hill.
Does your Doc know about the use of maggots to cure foot infections without amputation, especially those infections that are MRSA? We have known about larval therapy since the Napoleonic wars, and they teach this technique to U.S. Army Special Forces medics.
Clinical studies began, in 1989, at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the University of California. Results demonstrated that maggot therapy was more effective and efficient at debriding (cleaning) many types of infected and gangrenous wounds than commonly prescribed treatments.
Irvine reasoned, "If maggot therapy was effective enough to treat patients who otherwise would have lost limbs, despite modern surgical and antibiotic treatment, then we should be using maggot therapy before the wounds progress that far, and not as a last resort."
Recently, Professor Andrew Boulton and his team at Manchester University have been using green bottle fly larvae to treat 13 diabetic patients with MRSA contaminated foot ulcers. Results showed that larval therapy cured 12 of 13 patients within three weeks - faster than conventional treatments, which can take up to 28 weeks.
Professor Boulton said: "Maggots are the world's smallest surgeons. They remove dead tissue and bacteria, leaving the healthy tissue to heal. Still, we were very surprised to see such a good result for MRSA. There is no reason this can't be applied to many other areas of the body."
Veterinarians are also using maggot therapy. Several recent studies have shown the benefits for treating serious wounds in small animals (like dogs and cats) and larger animals (like horses). MDT is used most extensively for equine hoof and leg infections, but is also for cleaning necrotic tumors.
It would seem to be a no-brainer, to try this approach, rather than having a body part lopped off in the OR; but, let me guess, insurance pays for the amputation, but not for the maggots.
If you are looking for a doctor to evaluate you for treatment, or to use maggot therapy in your care, then begin by asking your own physician. After all, s/he knows you and your wound, already. There are many resources to assist the first-time user of medicinal maggots. If you see a smile, just ask how s/he would like to lose a foot!
We are again rapidly approaching the time when we will not have drugs to treat infection. MRSA, or Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, now accounts for 60 percent of hospital infections. It kills 100,000 patients each year, yet our hospitals refuse to test for it. To my knowledge, none of our local hospitals test for MRSA; yet, they test for AIDS, which only kills 20,000 per year.
Here is a good info web site: http://www.mercola.com/2000/oct/15/maggots.htm
In our world of MRSA infections, what is a doc to do? I would demand absolute proof, which is MRSA testing of my patients upon entry, and upon exit, of any hospital.
James Baker is a 30-year resident of Indian Hill.