Maggot Debridement Therapy

Running head: MAGGOT THERAPY 1
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Title: Maggot Debridement Therapy

MAGGOT THERAPY 2
Foot ulcer is complication that occurs in poorly controlled diabetes whereby the skin
tissue breaks down and exposes the underlying skin layers. The foot ulcers occurs on the big
toes and the balls of the feet. The ulcers affects the feet down and even to the bones.
Anybody suffering from diabetes can develop foot ulcers but can prevented by good foot
care. Research indicates that about 2 to 3 percent of people suffering from diabetes have foot
ulcers. The prevalence of the foot ulcer among diabetic patients is between 4 and 10 percent
according to Alexiadou and Doupis (2012). Lauterbach, Kostev and Kohlmann (2010) claim
that 5 percent of all diabetic patients have a history of diabetic foot ulcer and have a 15
percent risk of developing the foot ulcer complication. About 60 to 80 percent of foot ulcers
heal, with between 10 to 15 percent of the ulcer remaining active while between 5 and 24
percent of these foot ulcers lead to limp amputation within 6 to 18 months of being evaluated
with the foot ulcer (Katsilambros, Dounis, Mikrilakis, Tentolouris and Tsapogas, 2010).
According to research by Moxey et al. (2011) between 40 and 70 percent of non-traumatic
amputations are as a result of diabetic foot ulcer. The risk of developing the foot ulcer among
diabetic patients increase as the disease advances, age and duration of diabetes. In most cases
it is prevalent among patients whose blood control is poor. Failure to control the blood
glucose level more complications are experienced (Grennan, 2019). The foot ulcer can lead to
amputation of the lower leg as the priority is treating this syndrome and avoid further
amputation and complications.
According to Wade and Anderson (2015), more than 15 percent of diabetic people
have the diabetic foot ulcer. Among this population more than 80 000 of them have
undergone foot amputation in the United States. The diabetic foot ulcer is caused by
peripheral neuropathy, immunosuppression and peripheral arterial disease. Peripheral
neuropathy affects more than 5.5 million people in the United States (who are among the
leading nations with people suffering from diabetes) as is considered as the leading

MAGGOT THERAPY 3
etiological factor for diabetic foot ulcer. According to Dinh et al. (2012) diabetic foot ulcer
leads serious outcomes such as reduction of the quality of life of the patient, high costs in
treatment and serious disabilities. It is estimated that the United States government spends
more than $ 10.91 billion annually in treatment of peripheral neuropathy. The risk factors for
foot ulcers include smoking (Lipsky et al. 2012), peripheral vascular disease, poor control of
glycemic, anatomic foot deformity and foot ulcer history.
Diabetic neuropathy causes more than 90 percent of foot ulcers (Alexiadou and
Doupis, 2012; Grennan, 2019; Rice et al. 2014). Sensory, motor and autonomic fibres in
diabetic patients are affected as a result of nerve damage. Motor neuropathy leads to
weakening of muscles, paresis and atrophy. Sensory neuropathy causes the body to lose its
protective pain, heat and pressure sensations. Autonomic dysfunction leads dilation of blood
vessels and decreases sweating thus the skin loses its integrity and forms sites vulnerable to
microbial infection. Peripheral arterial disease is common among diabetic patients since their
early ages. It affects the region between the knee and the ankle. Researchers claim that
peripheral arterial disease is a risk factor for CVD and also can be used to predict the
outcome of foot ulcer. Minor injuries could increase the blood demand in the foot. When the
foot is inadequately supplied with blood it could cause foot ulceration and eventually
resulting to limp imputation. Loss of sensation among patients affected by peripheral diabetic
neuropathy might cause undetected repetitive injuries from external and internal causes
which at times lead to foot ulcer, leading to the ulcer being infected and later foot imputation.
Foot deformities lead to unusual plantar pressure hence play a role in causing diabetic foot
ulceration. These foot deformities include hallux valgus, Charcot neuroarthropathy, flat foot
and claw toes.
Maggot therapy, also called the maggot debridement therapy, larva therapy or bio-
surgery, is a kind of biotherapy whereby live and disinfected maggots are placed on a humans