Wound Care at Avita

Sometimes it’s easy to let things slide off your priority list, but taking care of your personal health should not be one of those, especially a wound that is not healing. Wounds that linger for 30 days need the attention of a doctor who specializes in wound care.

The Wound Healing Center of Bucyrus Hospital specializes in the latest therapies for hard to heal wounds and includes hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Our doctors are experts in the field and our staff is specially trained to offer a personal care program that will get you back to the life that you remember.

If you suffer from any of these conditions or symptoms, we can help:

  • Diabetic wounds
  • Infection
  • Pressure wounds
  • Gangrene
  • Radiation burns
  • Failing grafts & flaps
  • Surgical wounds
  • Wounds on lower legs or feet
  • Any wound not healed within 30 days

Our multi-disciplinary care team of clinicians are trained in the latest advancements in wound healing solutions. We offer a wide variety of clinically proven treatment options including bio-engineered tissue substitutes, negative pressure therapy, growth factor therapies, advanced dressings and wraps, debridement, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. We treat the most complex wounds, keeping our referring physicians involved every step of the way with detailed reports documenting the healing process. Avita is proud to continually exceed a healing rate of 90 percent within 16 weeks or less.

Did you know?

The Wound Center uses specialized medical grade honey which has been approved by the FDA for chronic and acute wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers and pressure ulcers. Wound dressings that contain active leptospermum honey have beneficial plant-derived properties. Recent tests have revealed that honey contains antibacterial agents, and leptospermum honey yields more antibacterial activity than honey from other sources.

The effects of the dressing last up to one week, reducing the need for more frequent visits to the Wound Center.

You do not need a referral for an appointment at the Wound Center. For more information on what our Wound Center can do for you, please call call us at 419-563-9899.

Healing Radiation Damage

Radiation, while effective in the treatment of cancerous tumor cells, is not selective in the tissue it targets. While effectively destroying cancer cells, radiation can also cause damage to healthy tissue.

This damage can occur anywhere between two weeks to twenty years after treatment. More often than not, there are no symptoms of radiation injury for at least five years.

Symptoms of radiation injury are usually not visible like the typical chronic wound. Soft tissue radiation damage often begins in the tissue or bone and can be hard to detect. Depending on the location of previous radiation therapy, symptoms may include:

  • Frequent urination
  • Presence of blood in the urine
  • Rectal bleeding
  • Vaginal discharge and/or bleeding
  • Difficulty swallowing
  • Hoarseness
  • Pain

Until recently, there has been no satisfactory treatment for radiation damage. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy fills this long-standing need. Radiation damage causes a lack of oxygen in the body’s tissues. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps reverse this damage by increasing the amount of oxygen within the tissues, which aids in recovery. Like any therapy, hyperbaric is not a cure-all. The good news is approximately 60-80% of patients will experience improvement or complete resolution of soft tissue radiation damage.

Healing Diabetic Wounds

Wounds that have not healed in over 30 days can actually be a threat to your health. Chronic wounds lead to enormous amounts of physical and emotional stress but can be avoided if timely treatment is provided. If you have diabetes, you are at an increased risk for developing leg or foot ulcers. Getting a proactive start in the healing process speeds recovery time.

An ulcer is the primary site for infection which can target the soft tissue and bone in your foot or leg. It is very important to stay off your feet once you get an ulcer. Putting pressure on it will cause the infection to spread and penetrate deeper into your foot. Delaying treatment of diabetic ulcers can lead to amputation and even mortality. Debridement of the wound is one of the first steps in treating ulcers and can be done at a wound center. Thick layers of skin, which should be carefully removed, may cover ulcers.

Additional treatments offered at Avita’s Wound Center include the latest in wound dressings, biological skin substitutes and grafts, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Even after successful treatment, there is a very high probability of an ulcer forming again. Continue to inspect your feet and see your medical provider often.

Unnecessary Amputation

On average, 507 Americans lose a limb each day. It is estimated that every six minutes, a limb is taken. Diabetes is the number one cause of limb loss. Sixty percent of amputations are preventable.

Experts in the field of healing chronic wounds are at Bucyrus Hospital and offer state-of-the-art techniques and individual treatment plans for full patient recovery. Our multi-disciplinary medical panel consists of physicians and surgeons in areas such as podiatry, internal medicine, family practice, geriatrics, plastic surgery, and vascular surgery. Our Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) complements the full range of treatment options we offer.

The Wound Healing Center at Bucyrus Hospital has proven success rates in the healing of wounds in patients with:

  • Diabetic Foot Ulcers
  • Lower Leg Ulcers
  • Pressure Ulcers
  • Osteomyelitis
  • Gangrene
  • Osteoradionecrosis
  • Radiation Burns
  • Soft Tissue Radiation Damage
  • Post-Operative Infections
  • Venous Insufficiency
  • Non-Healing Wounds