(13 Dec 1995) English/Nat
Medical science is turning to a most unconventional method to treat wounds conventional medicines cannot heal.
British doctors are developing the use of maggots to help clean and mend exposed injuries.
The biosurgical research team at a hospital in South Wales has already had considerable success and another doctor has been to Uganda to convince colleagues of the value of biosurgery.
It may not look very healthy, and it certainly doesn't look pleasant, but these maggots are healing this injury where other methods have failed - mind you, that doesn't make it any easier for Pauline Roberts to look.
The biosurgical research team at Bridgend General Hospital in South Wales has already made considerable headway with the tiny, flesh-eating biosurgeons.
Refuse collector Roger Davies injured his leg during work. For him the thought of maggots in his wound was better than having to have surgery.
SOUNDBITE:
The thought of the knife going into me is far worse than the thought of the maggots going into me.
SUPER CAPTION: Roger Davies, patient
The maggots are not as dirty as they look -- the hospital breeds its own maggots in sterile conditions
And though the idea of using them may seem repulsive, they do seem to do the trick.
SOUNDBITE:
Antibiotics are very effective at killing bacteria where there is a good supply of blood to the area for example. But if you have a wound that is full of dead tissue, the antibiotics can't actually get to the seat of the infection, The maggots have the advantage, the larvae as we like to call them, they can be placed directly into the wound and combat the infection at the site of the problem.
SUPER CAPTION: Dr Steve Thomas, Biosurgical Research Unit
Three days after his first dose of maggots, Roger's condition is much improved -- and the maggots are much fatter.
Another British doctor in the Biosurgical field is trying to encourage colleagues in Africa to use the method.
In a continent with such high humidity, and chronic diseases like leprosy, injuries can take a very long time to heal.
In his view this makes an ideal case for the use of maggots.
SOUNDBITE:
They go for the dead tissue and also infected tissue in the depth of a chronic wound. They are very useful, like small surgeons going to where the dead parts of the wound are.
SUPER CAPTION: Dr. John Church, British Surgeon
Dr Church has presented a paper outlining his ideas, and during a conference in Uganda, loses no time in raising his case.
SOUNDBITE:
You'll hear in my paper, but one of the beautiful advantages of this is that at the end of treatment, you remove them from the wound, and unlike any other topical treatment, you can recover your treatment. You can put them in a fixative, you can weigh them, you can cut them
SUPER CAPTION: Dr. John Church, British Surgeon
The use of maggots is still not as widespread as some biosurgeons would like.
Its benefits are clear enough for those prepared to look - but this is definitely not one for the squeamish.

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