For
most of us, wounds heal on their own, given time and the
body’s own efforts. But some people struggle with wounds
that won’t heal. And these wounds can pose a serious
risk. “Often our patients have dealt with a wound for an
extended amount of time without any signs or hope of
healing. We offer advanced wound care modalities
and evidence-based medicine that often provides better
results,” explains Chanda Fulgium, program director for
Wound Care at Memorial, a part of Hopkins County
Memorial Hospital.
Wounds that have not started
to heal in two weeks or completely healed after six
weeks warrant special attention. These wounds can be
anything from pressure ulcers to traumatic injuries to
infections to serious burns. But by far the most common
are diabetic ulcers. About 18 million people in the
United States have diabetes, and 15 percent of them will
develop a chronic wound. At Wound Care at
Memorial, focused technology, the latest dressing, and
specially trained doctors combine to help get difficult
wounds to heal.
Treatment options
include:
- Wound dressings
- Debridement
- Compression therapy
- Prescription growth factors
- Bio-engineered skin grafts
- Swelling management
- Blood vessel assessment
For 80 percent of patients these treatments
will lead to healing, usually in four weeks to three
months. There’s a different treatment option the other
20 percent can try—hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT).
“With HBOT, the patient is taken down to 2
ATA (approximately 33 feet below sea level) in a
pressurized 100 percent oxygen-rich environment. A
person’s blood becomes saturated with the pure oxygen
intake, which enhances the body’s natural healing
capabilities,” explains Fulgium. She says the treatment
has a 90 percent success rate, even with problem cases
where loss of limb is possible. HBOT is approved by
Medicare to treat 15 different conditions. “Our
goal is to get people healed and back to their earlier
quality of life. Some people have had these wounds
around for years, and these methods are proven
effective,” says Fulgium. “With nutritional assessment
and diabetes education we can get people back on the
road to health and happiness."
Wound Care at Memorial can work with your
primary care physician to provide quality care. You can
also refer yourself for treatment. For more information
about treating stubborn wounds at Memorial Hospital,
call (903) 438-4670.
