Milwaukee Comprehensive Wound Healing Center
Wound healing can be a complex medical problem requiring specialized treatment and care. At the Milwaukee Comprehensive Wound Healing Center and Limb Recovery Program located at our Wauwatosa Outpatient Center we offer a multi-disciplinary approach to treating both acute and chronic wounds.
Our wound treatment specialists are committed to providing a proven, evidence-based, clinical approach to wound care management and will do all they can to ensure a positive and successful outcome.
The Wound Treatment Process
Many factors may compromise the body’s normal healing process. Chronic disease such as diabetes, infection at the site or in a body system, vascular disease, pressure sores, repeated re-injury and swelling, or the inability to control bowel and bladder function can all lead to skin irritation and subsequent wound development.
- At the first visit, an extensive assessment of the wound is performed as well as identifying other factors that may be affecting the wound healing process.
- Our multidisciplinary team then develops treatment plans that are specially designed to meet the wound care needs of each individual patient.
- We communicate frequently with the patient’s primary care and specialty doctors to ensure that care is well coordinated.
- Photographic monitoring is used to continuously assess the wound healing progress.
- Each patient is provided with self-care education, discharge planning and support services that continue to promote the healing process in the home setting.
Treatment options
- Pressure relief and compression therapy to relieve excessive pressure or fluid build-up
- Infection management including identification of causes and treatment of infection
- Local wound care to keep the wound clean, appropriately dressed and free of dead tissue or foreign material
- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (our site offers five hyperbaric units)
- Nutritional support
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is an important, state-of-the-art approach to wound healing. While patients relax inside a comfortable, transparent chamber, they breathe pure oxygen in a pressurized environment. This therapy increases the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream, which in turn promotes wound healing. HBO therapy is usually used in combination with other approaches to wound healing and can also be used to address other medical conditions and disease processes.
Preparing for HBO therapy
If you or a loved one has been prescribed HBO therapy by a physician, there are several important steps to follow:
- Prepare a list of all the medications, prescription and non-prescription, and share this with the care team.
- Stop smoking. Smoking constricts blood vessels and reduces the delivery of blood and oxygen to body tissues, counteracting the benefits of the therapy.
- If you are experiencing symptoms of illness (such as fever, cough, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headache or body aches, alert the care team. You may need to reschedule therapy.
What to expect
The number of treatments depends on individual needs and how well the body responds to treatment. Patients with problem wounds often require 20 to 30 treatments to achieve best results. A typical schedule is treatments once a day, Monday through Friday.
During HBO therapy patients lie comfortably in the chamber and breathe normally. They are able to listen to music, watch television or movies on the DVD/VCR, or nap. Sessions normally last about two hours.
Patients may experience a feeling of “fullness” in the ears during a portion of the therapy, similar to feelings experienced during an airplane flight. Prior to therapy, the care team will teach a few easy techniques for avoiding ear pressure discomfort.
A few individuals experience after-effects following therapy. These may include a crackling sensation in the ears, brief lightheadedness or temporary changes in eyesight.
For more information
Find a
physician who practices at the Comprehensive Wound Healing Center and Limb Recovery Program or call (414) 259-7590.