Maggot debridement therapy: serious bleeding can occur: report of a case

Maggot debridement therapy is generally a safe therapy that is typically used as a last resort treatment for debriding wounds in patients with multiple comorbidities. We describe a case of serious bleeding in an 87-year-old woman treated in our wound care center for a mixed arterial-venous ulcer of the right leg. Daily home visits were completed by a wound care nurse, resulting in prompt recognition and management of the bleeding. The patient was transported to hospital via an ambulance, and rapidly stabilized with intravenous fluids and a blood transfusion. She subsequently returned to the home care setting for additional management of her lower extremity wound.