HYDERABAD: In the rarest of rare cases, doctors at Century Hospital removed nearly 150 maggots (baby houseflies) from the nose of a critically ill patient. The woman was brought to the hospital in a semi-comatose state, delirious and critically ill. She required a quick multi-speciality approach to assess her condition and initiate treatment.
According to the hospital, the 50-year-old homemaker from the Guntur district of Andhra Pradesh suffered from a Covid-19 infection approximately six months ago and the infection further led to mucormycosis due to which her right eye was removed. In the process, she also suffered from localised sensation loss.
“Usually, when a mosquito or housefly lands on the skin, we get the sensation and try to brush it away. However, as the patient had lost sensation due to mucormycosis, the houseflies entered her nose and laid eggs inside. Once the eggs are hatched, they become larvae, which are called maggots that can enter the brain and cause meningitis,” said Dr Hemanth Kaukuntla, CEO, of Century Hospital. The patient was also suffering from diabetes and poor kidney functioning, the doctor informed.
“Examination revealed the presence of maggots just below the brain. Her facial bones closer to the brain were completely infected,” said Dr Janakiram, skull base surgeon and senior ENT consultant.
He said that a team of general physicians and nephrologists were striving to stabilise her health condition simultaneously when he initiated the process of cleaning the maggots. Efforts of the doctors gave a fresh lease of life to the patient. The patient has recovered completely and can now see with her left eye, walking and attending regular domestic chores.