Abbeville Area Medical Center has opened a Wound and Hyperbaric Medicine Center that offers specialized care for individuals who suffer from chronic, non-healing wounds. The Center, that opened in April, is located within the hospital.
Statistics show that an estimated five million Americans suffer from chronic wounds each year, caused mostly by diabetes, circulatory problems and other conditions. Difficult or non-healing wounds can greatly impact the quality of life for patients.
Individuals should see a wound specialist if they have wounds that have not healed in 30 days; if they have wounds below the knee and have diabetes; if they have wounds below the knee and have problems with their veins or circulation; if they have lupus, rheumatoid arthritis or scleroderma, or if their physician has suggested the possibility of amputation.
The new Center features advanced wound care treatment including a hyperbaric chamber, which effectively treats crush injuries, osteomyelitis (acute or chronic bone infection), skin grafts and diabetic wounds of the lower extremity.
Studies have shown that specialized wound care and hyperbaric oxygen therapy accelerates wound healing, reduces amputation rates and helps patients avoid hospitalization.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy uses a pressurized, see-through chamber to deliver high concentrations of oxygen to the bloodstream. While in the chamber, the patient can comfortably recline, read, listen to music or even watch television. When the chamber is pressurized, the patient breathes 100 percent pure oxygen, which saturates the patient’s blood plasma with oxygen, carrying 20 to 30 times the normal amount of oxygen to body tissues. Oxygen-saturated blood helps heal wounds and is effective in fighting certain types of infection. Oxygen therapy also stimulates the growth of new blood vessels and improves circulation.
The wound care program will be directed by physicians who have specialized training in wound care and hyperbaric medicine. Dr. Chris Ceraldi will serve as the Center’s Medical Director. The Center’s physicians, Dr. Bruce Johnston, Dr. Heidi Rodillo and Dr. Evangeline Gonzalez will rotate on a weekly as the Center’s medical staff and will coordinate an overall care plan for each patient.
For more information, contact the Wound and Hyperbaric Medicine Center at (864) 366-3283. | | 
AAMC's new Wound and Hyperbaric Medicine Center features a hyperbaric chamber. |