Another disturbing news story

Seems a 84 year old gentleman in Thailand went to the doctor complaining of a bad itch in both ears.He had scratched so much his ear canals were bleeding.Doctors removed over 50 maggots from his ears!

wow. I imagine that would hurt pretty bad.

Ewww. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

Now the next question - when he goes back to his environment at home, is he (or his family) going to pick up more of them? He needs to identify the source and take care of it. A relapse would really suck!

I hope someone helps the poor old guy out,no one should ever suffer like this.

B@rt, you better be careful when you come down here.

Geoff

My limited understanding is that maggots will only eat dead tissue. I *think* they are used (raised sterile) for that medical purpose in the U.S?

Larry

[ QUOTE ]
tvodrd said:
My limited understanding is that maggots will only eat dead tissue. I *think* they are used (raised sterile) for that medical purpose in the U.S? Larry

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****Warning for those with weak stomachs*****!!!

Yes, as strange as that sounds, it's true. The 'sterile' maggots will only eat dead tissue, leaving healthy tissue intact. They are used when surgery is not practical.

The end goal is to remove dead tissue, without harming any good tissue, and surgery can't always do that.

Historically, in Japanese prison camps during WWII, where there were no medical supplies at all, maggots were used to clean up and try to save gangrenous wounds/limbs, with some success.

In the interest of not causing any nausea, I will refrain from speculating on how and why the elderly gentleman became a host to maggots.

Nasty picture.....EWWH!

i recall seeing a picture of something similar to this...very grotesque.
the top portion of his skull had been removed for easier viewing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/icon15.gif

If you're 84 and have maggots coming out of your ears, I think your life expectancy is pretty low. I don't think I'm out on a limb on this.

The photo I saw of this guy, they ended up cutting open his skull, peeling it back, to reveal a ton of maggots eating away at his brain. Think he lived though, oddly enough.

You can find it on www.snopes.com
great place to find out if a rumor is true.

Warning to anyone with weak stomachs. Don't read and look at the pictures of the maggot story on the website jtice posted. It could be quite disturbing for some people I think. The idea made me somewhat nausious and I usually don't get sick by stuff like that. (Heck, I watched an autopsy with no problems). Just a word for the wise....

I guess not all maggots are satisfied with dead tissue ... brain tastes sweet, ya know ... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Larry ... yepp ... maggots are used for this purpose, but this technique isn't very widespread because of the negative "image" it has /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif.
It can save a lot of trouble though, and the only real problem is some itching when they do their work ...

bernie

Those with weak stomachs, do not click here.

Botfly Larva removed from Child's eye.

neg

Ewwwwww.....that's pretty gross! Big worm to be in an eyelid.

I believe leeches (sterile) are also still used medically in the US. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Larry

[ QUOTE ]
Kiessling said:
I guess not all maggots are satisfied with dead tissue ...

bernie

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I think you're right. IIRC the 'Maggot Debriedment' section of the old Green Berets medical manual not only advised how many to start with, but also told how often to check on their progress and advised that the maggots should be pulled when red blood appeared, as that was a sign that all of the dead tissue was gone and they were eating live tissue.

[ QUOTE ]
tvodrd said:
I believe leeches (sterile) are also still used medically in the US. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Larry

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup. When someone loses a limb in an accident and it is surgically re-attached, leeches are often used at the distal part of the re-attached appendage to enhance blood flow.