Overview
The wound care specialists at the Holy Name Institute for Wound Healing provide compassionate, specialized treatment for acute and chronic non–healing wounds. Any sore or wound that has not significantly improved from conventional treatment is considered chronic or non–healing.
Experts at the Institute are successful in healing almost all persistent wounds. They create a personal plan for each patient that considers the type and location of the wound, as well as the needs and preferences of the patient. They use an interdisciplinary model of care, including infectious–disease management, physical therapy, occupational therapy, pain management, laboratory evaluation and nutritional and diabetes education to address the patient's overall health.
Holy Name provides a comprehensive team approach to care with more on-staff medical and surgical specialists than any other wound care center in our region. The Institute's physician panel includes vascular surgeons, general surgeons, orthopedic surgeons, podiatrists, plastic surgeons, thoracic surgeons, interventional radiologists, and infectious disease specialists who coordinate care to provide the best outcome for every patient, while caring for their physical, medical and emotional health.
An Increase in Chronic Wounds
Nearly 8 million Americans live with chronic wounds, a number that is expected to continue to rise during the next decade. The increase is fueled by an aging population and the surge of diseases such as diabetes and obesity. Other causes of chronic wounds include late effects of radiation treatment, traumatic injuries and other conditions resulting from vascular disorders.
Untreated chronic wounds can lead to a diminished quality of life, pain, loss of function and mobility, depression, distress and anxiety, social isolation, financial burden, prolonged hospital stays, amputation or death. The 5-year survival rate for patients with amputations is approximately 50 percent. Treating these wounds saves lives and helps patients heal faster and regain their quality of life.
What to Expect
Wound care specialists at the Institute will first provide a thorough diagnostic evaluation to identify the patient's type of wound and the underlying problem causing the wound. They will create a personal treatment plan best suited to address the patient's needs, considering overall health status and the patient's ability to comply with therapy.
Treatments
Holy Name's wound experts use the most appropriate treatment protocol for each patient, including:
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBO) – the patient breathes 100 percent oxygen in a pressurized chamber, where the combination of high oxygen concentration and increased pressure cause large amounts of oxygen to enter the blood to accelerate healing.
- Debridement – removing the dead tissue around the wound that is preventing healing.
- Topical Wound Therapy – substances that enhance healing are applied to the wound.
- Growth-factor Therapy – substances similar to those secreted by the body to stimulate growth are applied either topically or through an injection.
- Bioengineered tissue – adult stem cells are injected into the wound to promote healing.
- Negative Pressure Wound Therapy – applying a vacuum through a sealed dressing to draw out fluid from the wound and increase blood flow to the area.
Conditions that may require Advanced Wound Care
- Diabetic, neuropathic, pressure and ischemic ulcers
- Venous insufficiency
- Traumatic wounds
- Surgical wounds
- Vasculitis
- Burns
- Peristomal skin irritations
- Radiation therapy-related cystitis, enteritis and skin/bone necrosis
