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INFESTED
Grim video shows homeless man’s leg crawling with maggots – but doctors say it SAVED him from deadly infections
The 60-year-old man had an ulcer on that measured five by two inches and was so severe his Achilles tendon was exposed
A HOMELESS man was "saved" from potentially deadly infections after an open wound on his leg became infested with maggots.
The 60-year-old man went to a hospital in Michigan in the US after an ulcer on his leg became infested with maggots.
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The man was suffering from wound myiasis, a condition where fly eggs become implanted in an open wound, doctors reported in the British Medical Journal (BMJ).
The eggs then hatch and the parasitic larvae feast on the surrounding skin until they are mature enough to fly away.
The ulcer on the man's leg, caused by a lack of blood flow, measured five by two inches and was so severe his Achilles tendon and surrounding tissue was exposed.
But surprisingly, despite the size and nature of the wound, there was no obvious sign of infection.
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His doctors believe the maggots that were wriggling around in his flesh helped ward of any infection by keeping his wound clean.
Dr Walid Ibrahim, who treated the patient, wrote in the report: "Our patient’s circumstances of poor hygiene, homeless situation and severe peripheral vascular disease drastically increased his risk of repeated wound infection.
"However, the presence of the associated larvae infestation appears to help natural wound debridement and prevent bacterial infection."
In fact, maggot therapy is widely used my medical professionals in the treatment of ulcers and other wounds.
Known as larval therapy, maggots can be placed on a wound to clean out any dead flesh.
Certain types of maggots only feed on the dead flesh and leave the healthy tissue alone - which makes them the idea candidate.
MORE ON MAGGOT INFESTATIONS
They are specially bred in a lab from eggs that have been treated to kill any bacteria they carry.
Once ready, the maggots are placed on the wound under a gauze and dressing to hold them in place.
A few days later the dressing and maggots are removed and the wound is able to heal.
Some studies have found it to be more effective than surgically removing dead flesh, according to the NHS.
Another study, from the University of York, found maggots clean ulcers twice as fast as medicated gels.
The homeless man's doctors also noted the use of maggots to clean ulcers in the BMJ report.
"Management of chronic wound ulcer is usually prolonged and challenging," Dr Ibrahim added.
"Therefore, different approaches have been implemented in wound management, including what is called maggot debridement therapy (MDT).
"MDT can improve debridement, disinfection, bacterial biofilm eradication, and ultimately wound healing."
The Sun Online previously reported on a diabetic man who claims maggots "saved his foot" by eating the rotting flesh out of his severe burns.