Limited access dressing and maggots

A case of infected wounds with lymphedema (non-pitting with skin changes) on the left leg showed maggots in the wounds that were covered by slough that extended under the skin edge. The patient had diabetes mellitus and hypertension (on treatment). Removal of the maggots with our routinely practiced method using turpentine oil and closed gauge dressing was tried but failed. After 3 days, closed dressing limited access dressing (LAD) technique was applied, which cleared the wound without allowing the maggots to escape from the dressing. In this case, LAD was a more controlled, hygienic, and effective method of maggot removal. This knowledge may help the surgeon in designing the better-controlled environment for maggot debridement therapy.