Maggots and Leeches Welcomed Back Into Health Care
Posted on April 20, 2005
The use of maggots and leeches to heal wounds and infections is slowly starting to play a bigger role into modern medicine. LiveScience.com reports that last year the FDA classified maggots and leeches as the first live medical devices. The National Institutes of Health says a container of 500-1,000 disinfected maggots costs about $70 (2004 prices). For that price the little creepy crawlies can do amazing things. LiveScience.com tells the story of Pam Mitchell who tried everything to heal her left heel that had a large infected diabetes-related wound. Nothing worked and doctors told her she should amputate the foot. Then she convinced a dermatologist to try maggots after watching a special about their ability to heal wounds on TV. After ten sessions with hundreds of live maggots her foot was healed. Scientists do not know exactly how maggots and leeches heal wounds but they do know a little:
Scientists have not figured out exactly how either critter works, but quite a bit is known. Maggots eat dead and infected tissue and other infectious organisms, which are later killed in maggots' guts. They secrete enzymes that break down dead tissue, turning it into a mush they can then slurp up.Leech saliva is made up of a potent cocktail of more than 30 different proteins that, among other things, helps to numb pain, reduce swelling and keep blood flowing.
