Use of Commercial Bacon to Extract Maggots from an Infested Chronic Wound

Maggot therapy, also known as larval therapy or biosurgery, is the use of live, sterilized maggots to debride necrotic tissue. Alternatively, wound infestation by maggots, known as myiasis, can occur in patients with poor wound management, particularly in those living in poor socioeconomic conditions. In the case of myiasis, various maggot extraction solutions are used to encourage the live larvae to emerge from the wound on their own. Current recommendations include the use of hypochlorous acid, sodium hypochlorite solutions, isopropyl alcohol, betadine, and hydrogen peroxide for wound cleansing. This case report focuses on a unique utilization of commercial bacon strips for the extraction of maggots in an infested necrotic wound. The use of commercial bacon strips in selective patients as a noninvasive technique for the removal of maggots from necrotic wounds can be an additional tool for medical providers.