The use of sterile maggots in wound management

Learned today that this is a thing. The joys of being on psych consult!

• It’s long been recognized that opportunistic infestations by maggots of wounds sustained in battle can prevent infections or even septicemia
• It was widely used until early 1940s when antibiotics were introduced
• How it works:
• Debridement due to maggots’ production of enzymes including collagenases, chymotrypsin-like & trypsin-like enzymes
• Disinfecting of the wound via their anti-microbial secretions
• Stimulates wound healing possibly by stimulating fibroblasts
• It’s like the super early version of wound vacs…with anti-microbial properties.

“I believe empathy is the most essential quality of civilization.”

 — Roger Ebert (RIP). A physician without empathy - that’s a scary human being.

You know you're supposed to be in medical school when

You stay after clinic is over for over an hour to dilate your friend’s eyes, play with the direct and indirect ophthalmoscopes trying to get a good view of her retina, describe your findings…be confused by them, but then have them confirmed by the attending with diagnoses of tilted disc and peripapillary atrophy 2/2 severe myopia. <3

Looked something like this:

“My two rules of mandible fractures: 1. The patient usually deserved it. 2. Mandible fracture repairs are never fun.”

 — Trauma ENT surgeon. NB: Mandible fracture patients’ HPI’s usually include fist fights, most likely under influence.