Wound Care was the topic du jour on Wednesday afternoon at the Elizabethtown Rotary Club during their luncheon meeting held at Cape Fear Vineyard and Winery.
David Holmes, Director of the Wound Healing Center at Columbus Regional Medical Center in Whiteville, said that wound care costs for chronic wounds which affect about 6 million patients per year is about $25 billion per year. Holmes said that chronic wound care is a growing issue.
“Seven million people have a chronic wound. A chronic wound is one that is not healing or showing progress,” said Holmes.
He said that some chronic wounds can lead to amputations. Holmes said the survival rate is reduced for patients once they have an amputation due to a chronic wound.
Holmes also said the Wound Healing Center also offers hyperbaric wound healing treatment. He said the center offers two hyperbaric chambers for patients. Holmes said that hyperbaric treatment of wounds really began in the 1950s.
He said the center does not treat those who are suffering from “the bends” that affects divers. Holmes said the center does not have all of the equipment necessary for treating “the bends” which occurs when dissolved gases in the body, mainly nitrogen, enter a diver’s blood stream.
Holmes said that when it comes to wound care and healing, hyperbaric treatment does assist the body in healing. He said that many of the patients that seek hyperbaric treatments have pressure type wounds or suffer from osteomyelites. The hyperbaric chamber exposes the patient to 100 percent oxygen at a very high rate of pressure, said Holmes. He saids this helps the body to heal better and at a faster rate.
Holmes aid the healing rate using hyperbaric treatment is about 95 percent. He added patients do not have to have a referral and all treatments are performed on an outpatient basis. He said most insurances are accepted.
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