Out of options, Tufts Medical Center team turns to maggot therapy to save man’s life
Updated: 10:59 PM EDT Jun 9, 2022
had nothing to lose lisa Baxter thought she had seen it all. The manager of Tufts wound care team, She spent years evaluating sores, incisions and infections in hospitalized patients. I’m not grossed out by much. Her toughness was put to the test. Soon after tough submitted *** 60 year old man with *** bed sore on his backside. It was badly infected. He had repeated surgeries to try to clean out the wound, which made it larger each time, drugs weren’t working either out of the 14 antibiotics available. The bacteria in his tissue was resistant to 12. That left two drugs with the same scary side effect kidney damage. So ended up on dialysis. He just was not getting better. He was getting worse. Doctors told the patient they were running out of options. The surgeries to remove his infection had left *** gaping hole about 17 cm long and nearly eight cm deep. Finally got to *** point where we couldn’t make it any bigger. It was about the size of *** gallon of milk. The patient was referred to hospice, but he told Baxter he didn’t want to die. That’s when she suggested *** last ditch treatment. They come in this little vial with encouragement from the dying patient and approval from hospital administrators, Baxter and her team deployed 3000 Maggots purchased through *** medical supply company into the wound. I understand that it’s difficult for others to see, but for us this is amazing. Just like in nature. The tiny bugs feed only on dead tissue leaving live tissue behind. The eating process also produces unique enzymes, which Baxter believes killed the stubborn bacteria. That drugs could not. So once the bacteria was gone, we were able to stop his antibiotics, which means we’re then able to stop his dialysis. So he was starting to feel better within days today. That patient Larry way is alive and moving. So this is where I’m at in my therapy. He’s also amazed just like many people that he said yes to Maggot therapy. Well, what could I say? I was the one who pushed them into finding another solution. So I can’t say no. So the fact that they were thrilled with progress meant whatever they were seeing, it’s going away, I’m getting better. How do you feel after hearing that? That was probably about the happiest time I had in the hospital, Baxter and her team feel the same. This is *** lot of science. *** little bit of luck and *** patient who wanted to heal you might be wondering can *** patient feel the maggots at work? Well, Larry says yes, he could feel them. But since the tissue is dead, there’s no pain. Larry says he has no regrets and is now focused on his new chapter and continued recovery. In the newsroom. I’m Jessica Brown WCVB do center five had nothing to lose lisa Baxter thought she had seen it all. The manager of Tufts wound care team, She spent years evaluating sores, incisions and infections in hospitalized patients. I’m not grossed out by much. Her toughness was put to the test. Soon after tough submitted *** 60 year old man with *** bed sore on his backside. It was badly infected. He had repeated surgeries to try to clean out the wound, which made it larger each time, drugs weren’t working either out of the 14 antibiotics available. The bacteria in his tissue was resistant to 12. That left two drugs with the same scary side effect kidney damage. So ended up on dialysis. He just was not getting better. He was getting worse. Doctors told the patient they were running out of options. The surgeries to remove his infection had left *** gaping hole about 17 cm long and nearly eight cm deep. Finally got to *** point where we couldn’t make it any bigger. It was about the size of *** gallon of milk. The patient was referred to hospice, but he told Baxter he didn’t want to die. That’s when she suggested *** last ditch treatment. They come in this little vial with encouragement from the dying patient and approval from hospital administrators, Baxter and her team deployed 3000 Maggots purchased through *** medical supply company into the wound. I understand that it’s difficult for others to see, but for us this is amazing. Just like in nature. The tiny bugs feed only on dead tissue leaving live tissue behind. The eating process also produces unique enzymes, which Baxter believes killed the stubborn bacteria. That drugs could not. So once the bacteria was gone, we were able to stop his antibiotics, which means we’re then able to stop his dialysis. So he was starting to feel better within days today. That patient Larry way is alive and moving. So this is where I’m at in my therapy. He’s also amazed just like many people that he said yes to Maggot therapy. Well, what could I say? I was the one who pushed them into finding another solution. So I can’t say no. So the fact that they were thrilled with progress meant whatever they were seeing, it’s going away, I’m getting better. How do you feel after hearing that? That was probably about the happiest time I had in the hospital, Baxter and her team feel the same. This is *** lot of science. *** little bit of luck and *** patient who wanted to heal you might be wondering can *** patient feel the maggots at work? Well, Larry says yes, he could feel them. But since the tissue is dead, there’s no pain. Larry says he has no regrets and is now focused on his new chapter and continued recovery. In the newsroom. I’m Jessica Brown WCVB do center five had nothing to lose lisa Baxter thought she had seen it all. The manager of Tufts wound care team, She spent years evaluating sores, incisions and infections in hospitalized patients. I’m not grossed out by much. Her toughness was put to the test. Soon after tough submitted *** 60 year old man with *** bed sore on his backside. It was badly infected. He had repeated surgeries to try to clean out the wound, which made it larger each time, drugs weren’t working either out of the 14 antibiotics available. The bacteria in his tissue was resistant to 12. That left two drugs with the same scary side effect kidney damage. So ended up on dialysis. He just was not getting better. He was getting worse. Doctors told the patient they were running out of options. The surgeries to remove his infection had left *** gaping hole about 17 cm long and nearly eight cm deep. Finally got to *** point where we couldn’t make it any bigger. It was about the size of *** gallon of milk. The patient was referred to hospice, but he told Baxter he didn’t want to die. That’s when she suggested *** last ditch treatment. They come in this little vial with encouragement from the dying patient and approval from hospital administrators, Baxter and her team deployed 3000 Maggots purchased through *** medical supply company into the wound. I understand that it’s difficult for others to see, but for us this is amazing. Just like in nature. The tiny bugs feed only on dead tissue leaving live tissue behind. The eating process also produces unique enzymes, which Baxter believes killed the stubborn bacteria. That drugs could not. So once the bacteria was gone, we were able to stop his antibiotics, which means we’re then able to stop his dialysis. So he was starting to feel better within days today. That patient Larry way is alive and moving. So this is where I’m at in my therapy. He’s also amazed just like many people that he said yes to Maggot therapy. Well, what could I say? I was the one who pushed them into finding another solution. So I can’t say no. So the fact that they were thrilled with progress meant whatever they were seeing, it’s going away, I’m getting better. How do you feel after hearing that? That was probably about the happiest time I had in the hospital, Baxter and her team feel the same. This is *** lot of science. *** little bit of luck and *** patient who wanted to heal you might be wondering can *** patient feel the maggots at work? Well, Larry says yes, he could feel them. But since the tissue is dead, there’s no pain. Larry says he has no regrets and is now focused on his new chapter and continued recovery. In the newsroom. I’m Jessica Brown WCVB do center five had nothing to lose lisa Baxter thought she had seen it all. The manager of Tufts wound care team, She spent years evaluating sores, incisions and infections in hospitalized patients. I’m not grossed out by much. Her toughness was put to the test. Soon after tough submitted *** 60 year old man with *** bed sore on his backside. It was badly infected. He had repeated surgeries to try to clean out the wound, which made it larger each time, drugs weren’t working either out of the 14 antibiotics available. The bacteria in his tissue was resistant to 12. That left two drugs with the same scary side effect kidney damage. So ended up on dialysis. He just was not getting better. He was getting worse. Doctors told the patient they were running out of options. The surgeries to remove his infection had left *** gaping hole about 17 cm long and nearly eight cm deep. Finally got to *** point where we couldn’t make it any bigger. It was about the size of *** gallon of milk. The patient was referred to hospice, but he told Baxter he didn’t want to die. That’s when she suggested *** last ditch treatment. They come in this little vial with encouragement from the dying patient and approval from hospital administrators, Baxter and her team deployed 3000 Maggots purchased through *** medical supply company into the wound. I understand that it’s difficult for others to see, but for us this is amazing. Just like in nature. The tiny bugs feed only on dead tissue leaving live tissue behind. The eating process also produces unique enzymes, which Baxter believes killed the stubborn bacteria. That drugs could not. So once the bacteria was gone, we were able to stop his antibiotics, which means we’re then able to stop his dialysis. So he was starting to feel better within days today. That patient Larry way is alive and moving. So this is where I’m at in my therapy. He’s also amazed just like many people that he said yes to Maggot therapy. Well, what could I say? I was the one who pushed them into finding another solution. So I can’t say no. So the fact that they were thrilled with progress meant whatever they were seeing, it’s going away, I’m getting better. How do you feel after hearing that? That was probably about the happiest time I had in the hospital, Baxter and her team feel the same. This is *** lot of science. *** little bit of luck and *** patient who wanted to heal you might be wondering can *** patient feel the maggots at work? Well, Larry says yes, he could feel them. But since the tissue is dead, there’s no pain. Larry says he has no regrets and is now focused on his new chapter and continued recovery. In the newsroom. I’m Jessica Brown WCVB do center five had nothing to lose lisa Baxter thought she had seen it all. The manager of Tufts wound care team, She spent years evaluating sores, incisions and infections in hospitalized patients. I’m not grossed out by much. Her toughness was put to the test. Soon after tough submitted *** 60 year old man with *** bed sore on his backside. It was badly infected. He had repeated surgeries to try to clean out the wound, which made it larger each time, drugs weren’t working either out of the 14 antibiotics available. The bacteria in his tissue was resistant to 12. That left two drugs with the same scary side effect kidney damage. So ended up on dialysis. He just was not getting better. He was getting worse. Doctors told the patient they were running out of options. The surgeries to remove his infection had left *** gaping hole about 17 cm long and nearly eight cm deep. Finally got to *** point where we couldn’t make it any bigger. It was about the size of *** gallon of milk. The patient was referred to hospice, but he told Baxter he didn’t want to die. That’s when she suggested *** last ditch treatment. They come in this little vial with encouragement from the dying patient and approval from hospital administrators, Baxter and her team deployed 3000 Maggots purchased through *** medical supply company into the wound. I understand that it’s difficult for others to see, but for us this is amazing. Just like in nature. The tiny bugs feed only on dead tissue leaving live tissue behind. The eating process also produces unique enzymes, which Baxter believes killed the stubborn bacteria. That drugs could not. So once the bacteria was gone, we were able to stop his antibiotics, which means we’re then able to stop his dialysis. So he was starting to feel better within days today. That patient Larry way is alive and moving. So this is where I’m at in my therapy. He’s also amazed just like many people that he said yes to Maggot therapy. Well, what could I say? I was the one who pushed them into finding another solution. So I can’t say no. So the fact that they were thrilled with progress meant whatever they were seeing, it’s going away, I’m getting better. How do you feel after hearing that? That was probably about the happiest time I had in the hospital, Baxter and her team feel the same. This is *** lot of science. *** little bit of luck and *** patient who wanted to heal you might be wondering can *** patient feel the maggots at work? Well, Larry says yes, he could feel them. But since the tissue is dead, there’s no pain. Larry says he has no regrets and is now focused on his new chapter and continued recovery. In the newsroom. I’m Jessica Brown WCVB do center five had nothing to lose lisa Baxter thought she had seen it all. The manager of Tufts wound care team, She spent years evaluating sores, incisions and infections in hospitalized patients. I’m not grossed out by much. Her toughness was put to the test. Soon after tough submitted *** 60 year old man with *** bed sore on his backside. It was badly infected. He had repeated surgeries to try to clean out the wound, which made it larger each time, drugs weren’t working either out of the 14 antibiotics available. The bacteria in his tissue was resistant to 12. That left two drugs with the same scary side effect kidney damage. So ended up on dialysis. He just was not getting better. He was getting worse. Doctors told the patient they were running out of options. The surgeries to remove his infection had left *** gaping hole about 17 cm long and nearly eight cm deep. Finally got to *** point where we couldn’t make it any bigger. It was about the size of *** gallon of milk. The patient was referred to hospice, but he told Baxter he didn’t want to die. That’s when she suggested *** last ditch treatment. They come in this little vial with encouragement from the dying patient and approval from hospital administrators, Baxter and her team deployed 3000 Maggots purchased through *** medical supply company into the wound. I understand that it’s difficult for others to see, but for us this is amazing. Just like in nature. The tiny bugs feed only on dead tissue leaving live tissue behind. The eating process also produces unique enzymes, which Baxter believes killed the stubborn bacteria. That drugs could not. So once the bacteria was gone, we were able to stop his antibiotics, which means we’re then able to stop his dialysis. So he was starting to feel better within days today. That patient Larry way is alive and moving. So this is where I’m at in my therapy. He’s also amazed just like many people that he said yes to Maggot therapy. Well, what could I say? I was the one who pushed them into finding another solution. So I can’t say no. So the fact that they were thrilled with progress meant whatever they were seeing, it’s going away, I’m getting better. How do you feel after hearing that? That was probably about the happiest time I had in the hospital, Baxter and her team feel the same. This is *** lot of science. *** little bit of luck and *** patient who wanted to heal you might be wondering can *** patient feel the maggots at work? Well, Larry says yes, he could feel them. But since the tissue is dead, there’s no pain. Larry says he has no regrets and is now focused on his new chapter and continued recovery. In the newsroom. I’m Jessica Brown WCVB do center five
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Out of options, Tufts Medical Center team turns to maggot therapy to save man’s life
Updated: 10:59 PM EDT Jun 9, 2022
Having run out of conventional medical treatments and facing hospice care, a 60-year-old man is alive and recovering thanks to maggot therapy.Lisa Baxter, manager of the wound care team at Tufts Medical Center, thought she had seen it all. She has spent years evaluating sores, incisions and infections in hospitalized patients.”I’m not grossed out by much,” Baxter said.Her toughness was put to the test soon after Tufts admitted Larry, who had a badly infected bed sore on his backside.”He has repeated surgeries to try to clean out the wound, which made it larger each time,” Baxter said.Drugs weren’t working either. Out of the 14 antibiotics available, the bacteria in his tissue were resistant to 12.That left two drugs as options, but both had the same scary side effect — kidney damage.”He ended up on dialysis,” Baxter said. “He just was not getting better. He was getting worse.”Doctors told the patient that they were running out of options.By this time, the surgeries to remove his infection had left a gaping hole about 17cm long and nearly eight centimeters deep.”It finally got to a point where we couldn’t make it any bigger,” Baxter said. “It was about the size of a gallon of milk.”The patient was referred to hospice, but he told Baxter that he didn’t want to die. That’s when she suggested using maggots as a last-ditch treatment to clear the infected tissue.The dying patient agreed.After getting approval from hospital administrators, Baxter and her team purchased 3,000 maggots from a medical supply company that they deployed into the wound.Just like in nature, the tiny bugs feed only on dead tissue, leaving live tissue behind. The eating process also produces unique enzymes, which Baxter believes killed the stubborn bacteria that drugs could not.”Once the bacteria were gone, we were able to stop his antibiotics, which then means we were able to stop his dialysis,” Baxter said. “He was starting to feel better within days.”Today, Larry is alive and moving.He’s also amazed, just like many people, that he said yes to maggot therapy.”What could I say?” Larry asked. “I was the one who pushed them into finding another solution, so I can’t say no. The fact that they were thrilled with my progress meant whatever they were seeing was going away and I’m getting better. That was probably about the happiest time I had in the hospital.”Baxter and her team feel the same.”This is a 10,” said Baxter, pointing at an image of the recovering wound on her computer screen. “A lot of science, a little bit of luck, and a patient who wanted to heal.”Below: Lisa Baxter explains how maggot therapy works and why it’s effective
Having run out of conventional medical treatments and facing hospice care, a 60-year-old man is alive and recovering thanks to maggot therapy.
Lisa Baxter, manager of the wound care team at Tufts Medical Center, thought she had seen it all. She has spent years evaluating sores, incisions and infections in hospitalized patients.
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“I’m not grossed out by much,” Baxter said.
Her toughness was put to the test soon after Tufts admitted Larry, who had a badly infected bed sore on his backside.
“He has repeated surgeries to try to clean out the wound, which made it larger each time,” Baxter said.
Drugs weren’t working either. Out of the 14 antibiotics available, the bacteria in his tissue were resistant to 12.
That left two drugs as options, but both had the same scary side effect — kidney damage.
“He ended up on dialysis,” Baxter said. “He just was not getting better. He was getting worse.”
Doctors told the patient that they were running out of options.
By this time, the surgeries to remove his infection had left a gaping hole about 17cm long and nearly eight centimeters deep.
“It finally got to a point where we couldn’t make it any bigger,” Baxter said. “It was about the size of a gallon of milk.”
The patient was referred to hospice, but he told Baxter that he didn’t want to die. That’s when she suggested using maggots as a last-ditch treatment to clear the infected tissue.
The dying patient agreed.
After getting approval from hospital administrators, Baxter and her team purchased 3,000 maggots from a medical supply company that they deployed into the wound.
Just like in nature, the tiny bugs feed only on dead tissue, leaving live tissue behind.
The eating process also produces unique enzymes, which Baxter believes killed the stubborn bacteria that drugs could not.
“Once the bacteria were gone, we were able to stop his antibiotics, which then means we were able to stop his dialysis,” Baxter said. “He was starting to feel better within days.”
Today, Larry is alive and moving.
He’s also amazed, just like many people, that he said yes to maggot therapy.
“What could I say?” Larry asked. “I was the one who pushed them into finding another solution, so I can’t say no. The fact that they were thrilled with my progress meant whatever they were seeing was going away and I’m getting better. That was probably about the happiest time I had in the hospital.”
Baxter and her team feel the same.
“This is a 10,” said Baxter, pointing at an image of the recovering wound on her computer screen. “A lot of science, a little bit of luck, and a patient who wanted to heal.”
Below: Lisa Baxter explains how maggot therapy works and why it’s effective