Postoperative complications were assessed for all patients who received presurgical maggot debridement therapy (MDT) and for a matched group of patients who did not. Ten wounds were debrided by maggots within 1-17 days prior to surgical closure. Debridement was effective in all cases, and there were no postoperative wound infections. Six (32%) of 19 wounds not treated presurgically with MDT developed postoperative wound infections (95% CI, 10%-54%; P<.05). Presurgical MDT was effective in preparing the wound bed for surgical closure, without increased risk of postsurgical wound infection.