Table 18.

The Effectiveness Maggot Therapy

Author/Year/Country D&B Score	Eligibility Criteria	Study Design and Methods	Outcome Measures	Results
Sherman et al., 199563 USA D&B=9	Inclusion: SCI; quadriplegia or paraplegia; pressure ulcer stage III or IV. Ages ranged from 44 to 68 years. Both males and females, and 7 were paraplegics Exclusion: Not specified	Non-RCT: Overall, 20 SCI patients were recruited; but only 8 individuals were allocated to treatment group. Treatment group underwent conventional therapy for 3–4 weeks followed by the placing of maggots (covered with porous sterile dressings) which were left in place for 48–72 hr cycles. Between cycles of maggot therapy, the group received either sodium hypochlorite, normal saline or wet-to-dry gauze dressings every 8 hrs. Controls received traditional treatment.	Healing of the pressure ulcer; size of wound area.	Noted change in surface area during maggot therapy (ulcer surface area decreased by approximately 22% per week p<0.001 during therapy). No complications or infection were noted as a result of treatment

D&B = Downs and Black quality assessment scale score²⁴