Camden Clark’s Regional Wound and Hyperbaric Center offers advanced solutions for problem wounds, along with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The goal is to heal chronic wounds and prevent limb loss. Many patients who have suffered from chronic wounds are restored to health in a shorter time than they thought possible.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that enhances the body’s natural healing ability and strengthens the body’s immune system. By dramatically increasing the oxygen content level in blood and compromised tissue, HBOT provides the ideal environment to promote the growth of new blood vessels and skin. It’s a thoroughly tested, completely safe and painless therapy that has helped thousands of patients worldwide heal faster and better.
The center treats all acute or chronic wounds, especially those difficult to heal, including but not limited to:
- Abscess
- Arterial ulcers
- Burns
- Calciphylaxis
- Diabetic ulcers
- Neuropathic
- Pressure ulcers
- Pyoderma Gangrenosum
- Radiation injuries
- Surgical
- Trauma
- Vasculitic ulcers
- Venous ulcers
At the Wound and Hyperbaric Center, the patient experience includes a detailed history and assessment, individualized treatment plan, and coordination of care with appropriate services and specialties. In addition, patient care is multi-disciplinary, with input from board-certified specialists including vascular, infectious disease, general surgery, plastic surgery, and podiatry providers. We also work in support of the patient’s primary care physician, making communication a top priority.
Camden Clark Regional Wound and Hyperbaric Center is an outpatient service offering comprehensive, coordinated advanced wound care including hyperbaric oxygen therapy for the treatment of chronic wounds. The program’s goal is to improve the outcome for patients who have failed to respond to traditional therapies alone and diminish the need for amputation. Working with the referring physician, the Camden Clark multi-specialty team develops a comprehensive treatment plan specific to the individual patient’s needs, which may include a combination of:
- Conventional and advanced wound dressings
- Antibiotic therapy
- Nutritional counseling
- Education and prevention techniques
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
Program Outcomes
Camden Clark Regional Wound and Hyperbaric Center has a healing rate of 80.34 percent for diabetic foot ulcers, which is above the national average.
Facts about Chronic Wounds and Their Treatment
- Chronic wounds affect approximately 6.5 million people in the U.S., with treatment costs approaching $20 billion annually.
- The most common chronic wounds involve the skin and soft tissue, including diabetic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers, and venous stasis ulcers.
- Individuals with diabetes often develop extremity ulcers at an incidence of 2 percent per year and account for the majority of foot and leg amputations in the United States.
- According to the National Institutes of Health, hyperbaric oxygen treatment is cost-effective compared with standard care, and the 12-year cost for patients receiving HBOT was $40,695, compared with $49,786 for standard care alone. Outcomes were 3.64 quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for those receiving HBOT and 3.01 QALYs for controls.
How to Make a Referral
To make a referral to the Camden Clark Regional Wound and Hyperbaric Center, fax a completed patient referral form to 304-420-7128. Forms can be mailed to you by calling 304-424-2228. Members of our physician panel will evaluate your patient to identify their specific needs. As a referring physician, you will be consulted regarding the proposed are plan for the patient. Please send all of the patient’s recent diagnostic studies and care notes for use in his/her evaluation.
Wound Healing Center Overview
Welcome to WVU Medicine Camden Clark Comprehensive Wound Healing Center. We’re dedicated to healing chronic wounds, preventing lower limb loss and optimizing outcomes for our patients If you or a loved one has a wound that is of concern or is not healing properly, you may have what is referred to as a complex or non-healing wound.
Often complicated by underlying conditions such as diabetes, circulation problems or previous radiation treatment, the simplest of wounds can turn into a significant problem because the body’s normal healing process is affected. Other types of hard-to- heal wounds result from pressure, trauma or infection. Complex or non-healing wounds can have serious health consequences and may adversely affect your quality of life.
Types of Wounds Treated
As a comprehensive wound healing center, we specialize in the treatment of all types of non-healing and difficult-to- heal wounds including:
- Diabetic foot ulcers
- Venous ulcers
- Pressure ulcers
- Non-healing, surgical wounds
- Arterial/ischemic ulcers
- Post-radiation injury to tissue or bone
- Traumatic wounds
Infected wounds - Crush injuries
- Compromised flaps or grafts
What is a Comprehensive Wound Healing Center?
The Comprehensive Wound Healing Center at WVU Medicine Camden Clark provides care to those suffering from chronic wounds in a way no other provider can – all in one location. A comprehensive WoundHealing Center is a coordinated outpatient center that utilizes the latest techniques and procedures to provide the best chance of healing.
Our Multidisciplinary Wound Care Specialists
Our wound healing center is staffed with a multidisciplinary team of physicians, along with nurses and technicians with advanced training in wound care, who will customize the most effective treatment plan to stimulate healing. Comprised of general physicians, vascular and plastic surgeons, podiatrists and infectious disease physicians, our team is dedicated to providing the most advanced healing options to patients, allowing them to recover as quickly and completely as possible. As wound healing specialists, our clinicians have a proven track record of healing wounds – even those that have not responded to other treatments.
Wound Care Treatment Plans
Our approach to wound care is aggressive and comprehensive, coordinating traditional and advanced therapies and techniques that are proven to reduce healing time and improve healing rates.
Since non-healing wounds rarely result from a single cause, we begin with a thorough evaluation and diagnostic testing to determine the underlying cause of the wound. A treatment plan is then developed to give patients the best chance for healing. Most treatments are covered by Medicare/Medicaid, HMOs and other private insurance. Depending on the type of wound, the treatment plan may include:
- Infection control
- Restoration of blood flow
- Debridement (removal of dead tissue)
- Offloading
- Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy
- Skin substitutes
- Compression therapy
- Foot reconstruction
- Skin graft or flap
What Can Our Wound Care Patients Expect?
Your course of treatment depends on what type of wound you have. During your first visit, our staff will evaluate your wound and review your medical history. You may also need special tests that give us information about circulation and infection. This will help to determine what course of treatment you will need. Once a treatment plan has been prescribed, you will visit the wound healing center weekly for specialized treatments and documentation of your healing progress. Keeping appointments and following directions are critical to attaining a positive healing outcome. Some things you can do to assist with your healing:
- Care for your wound at home as directed by the wound care team
- Take medications as directed
- Return for your follow-up appointments
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) Therapy?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a treatment in which the patient breathes 100% pure oxygen while inside a pressurized chamber. The air pressure inside a hyperbaric oxygen chamber is about two and a half times greater than the normal pressure in the atmosphere. This “hyperbaric” (or high pressure) dose of oxygen helps your blood carry more oxygen to your organs and tissues to promote wound healing. It also activates the white blood cells to fight infection. Patients typically receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy five days a week for approximately four to six weeks. One treatment takes about two hours and is quite comfortable for most patients. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may be used as part of the treatment for certain conditions, including the following:
- Non-healing wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers
- Chronic bone infection (chronic refractory osteomyelitis)
- Injury to skin or bone as a side effect from radiation therapy
- Non-healing skin grafts and flaps
- Crush injuries
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Sudden sensorineural hearing loss
- Central retinal artery occlusion
Preparing for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
A WVU Medicine Camden Clark staff member will tell you how many treatments you will need. During your treatment, you may watch television, a movie or take a nap. You will be given a hospital gown to wear in the chamber. No cosmetics, perfumes, hair preparations, deodorants, wigs, jewelry or electronic devices are allowed in the chamber. Most pacemakers are allowed in the chamber. The hyperbaric technologist will need to know if you are taking any medications, including non-prescription drugs. You are advised not to drink alcohol or carbonated beverages for four hours prior to treatment. Smoking and the use of tobacco products interferes with the body’s ability to transport oxygen. Therefore, your doctor will work with you on techniques to help stop smoking during the treatment period. Following your treatment plan is the single most important factor in your healing.
