Wound care center raises awareness about chronic wounds

TORRINGTON – Wound Care Awareness Week, June 6-10, is an important time to raise awareness about chronic wounds and the treatments available at The Charlotte Hungerford Hospital Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center that can improve quality of life for people with chronic wounds, according to a statement.

The CHH Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center has providers and specialists that serve patients with chronic wounds. Various conditions, such as diabetes, peripheral artery disease, cardiovascular disease and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, increase the likelihood of a person having or developing a chronic wound, according to the center.

William McGeehin, MD, FACS, and Dennis D’Onofrio, DPM, FACFAS, are co-medical directors at the CHH Wound Care Center. The center brings together surgeons and podiatrists to one location to serve patients who have wounds that need specialized care.

According to the center, nearly 7 million people in the U.S. are living with a chronic wound, and that number is only expected to grow. Today, one in four families has a family member with a chronic wound. People living with a chronic wound may experience chronic pain, social isolation, depression and anxiety, and are at risk for hospitalization, infection, and even amputation. If left untreated, chronic wounds can lead to diminished quality of life.

Sandra Sanden, RN, BSN, Clinical Nurse Manager, CHH Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine, said a small percentage of increased acuity may be because of delayed care during the COVID-19 pandemic. However,

she said, the lack of awareness about specialized wound care is another reason why people wait to seek care.

Foot exams by a medical professional, when paired with self-foot checks, are key to early identification of wounds and may lead to improved outcomes. Early wound treatment can reduce amputation risk by about half, when combined with a multi-specialty wound care team. Advanced therapies that aid wound closure and new tissue growth may include- total contact casting, negative pressure wound therapy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, according to the center.

The CHH Wound Care Center features two hyperbaric oxygen chambers. During the non-invasive treatments, patients lie on a bed in an enclosed see through acrylic shell, breathing 100 percent oxygen under pressure.

The pressure drives oxygen deep into body tissue and promotes healing. Hyperbaric oxygen medicine may be used to treat wounds related to more than one dozen conditions, including diabetic foot ulcers, radiation injuries to tissue and bone, necrotizing infections, compromised skin grafts and skin flaps and some types of arterial insufficiency and ischemia, according to the center.

For those who have a wound or are concerned about someone who has one, it is important to find advanced care. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact the CHH Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine Center, at 7 Felicity Lane, Torrington at 860-489-0418.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Physician referrals are not required. The center operates by appointment and accepts all forms of insurance.