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Chronic, non-healing wounds due En burns, diabetes, and other injuries cost United States patients about 50 billion dollars each year. Traditionally, treatment has involved surgical debridement of necrotic tissue and frequent cleaning and changing of the wound and dressings to manage infection risk and promote healing. In the 1920s, a new method of wound debridement called maggot debridement therapy or MDT emerged and has continually developed into an effective treatment strategy. Sterile, live blow fly larvae are either placed into the wound and sealed in by gauze or held in place by a mesh bag in the wound. Secretions of the larvae kill bacteria, dissolve necrotic tissue, and stimulate healthy tissue formation. Studies have shown that MDT has the power to debride and contribute to wound healing as early as four weeks, compared to conventional therapy. With multiple benefits and few side-effects, MDT is a well-sup ported and increasingly accessible tool for physicians in chronic-wound treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]