Maggot debridement therapy for an electrical burn injury with instructions for the use of Lucilia sericata larvae.

OBJECTIVE: Maggot debridement therapy (MDT) has proved an efficient and reliable approach for wound healing. We explain the use of maggots with a stepwise procedure for conducting MDT in a patient with severe and large electrical wounds.

METHOD: We captured the flies of Lucilia sericata from the natural environment, Alborz, Iran, and reared them in netted cages. The eggs obtained from the flies were disinfected with chloramine, and then were incubated on culture medium.

RESULTS: The young larvae, in open ended pouches, were applied to the wound of a 29-year-old man who suffered from extensive fourth degree electrical burns. The patient's wounds were fully debrided, while adequate granulation tissue grew on the wounds in just 16 days of treatment. MDT prepared the wound bed to receive skin autograft, successfully, without any interaction, allergy, or inflammation.

CONCLUSION: Our case study indicated that MDT can be a suitable pre-grafting measure for electrical wounds. Implementing the stated procedures in the present study can help health professionals to employ MDT for similar cases.