A treatment that works around you

Larval Therapy allows patients the freedom to experience selective debridement in the privacy of their own home or as an inpatient. The treatment remains on the wound for up to four days and is replaced with a new BioBag if further debridement is required. It is common for two or more treatments to be needed for debridement to be achieved.

The treatment process

Your healthcare professional will let you know if you and your wound are suitable to be treated with Larval Therapy. The treatment is a very simple process and because the larvae are completely contained within the BioBag dressing you can feel at ease for the duration of the therapy.

• Your wound will be cleansed immediately prior to the therapy commencing
• The healthy skin surrounding your wound will be protected with a barrier cream
• The BioBag will be applied directly to your wound like a standard dressing
• The BioBag will be covered with moist gauze, a non-occlusive absorbent wound pad and a breathable bandage (or breathable tape)
• The outer dressing (saline moistened gauze, absorbent pad and bandage) should be changed at least daily
• The BioBag will be removed after four days of treatment

It is our goal for you to feel comfortable throughout the treatment. Your healthcare professional will guide you through the treatment process but we have answered many of your questions on our patient FAQ page.

What to expect

Although most patients do not feel anything during the treatment it would be normal to experience a tickling, pulsating or tingling sensation. Some patients with previously sensitive or painful wounds can experience an increase in wound pain during the treatment, this can usually be controlled with pain relieving medication.

You will experience a few changes in your wound during the treatment so do not be alarmed. It is normal for the wound moisture level to increase which is a sign that the treatment is working. It would also be normal for the wound fluid to appear discoloured (brown or reddish-brown).

What to do

The BioBag has been designed for convenience and you do not need to change your daily routine. However the BioBag is a live dressing so there are a few things that you can do to promote optimal results. Most importantly, the larvae require oxygen so try to avoid sustained direct pressure on the wound area and avoid covering the dressing with anything that could reduce or stop the flow of oxygen.