Patient Acceptability of Larval Therapy for Leg Ulcer Treatment
Author Information
Author(s): Petherick ES, O'Meara S, Spilsbury K, Iglesias CP, Nelson EA, Torgerson DJ
Primary Institution: Centre for Evidence Based Nursing, Department of Health Sciences, University of York
Hypothesis
What are patient preferences regarding the acceptability of larval therapy for leg ulcer treatment?
Conclusion
Patients do not show widespread resistance to using larval therapy for leg ulcers, regardless of how the larvae are contained.
Supporting Evidence
- Approximately 25% of participants would not consider larval therapy as an acceptable treatment option.
- 77% of participants stated they would consider the use of larval therapy, irrespective of the method of containment.
- The median difference in healing times required to prefer loose larvae over hydrogel was 3 weeks.
Takeaway
Most patients are okay with using maggots to help heal their leg sores, and they don't need a big difference in healing time to choose this treatment over others.
Methodology
A survey using two randomly allocated, nurse-administered questionnaires was conducted to evaluate patient preferences for larval therapy versus standard treatment.
Limitations
The study's power may have been affected by a higher than expected refusal rate to consider larval therapy.
Participant Demographics
Participants were aged 18 and above, with a mean age of 73.29 years for loose larvae and 68.56 years for bagged larvae.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.075
Statistical Significance
p = 0.075
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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