MedWatch- Specialized wound care treatment at CCMH from Medwatch 7 KSWO on Vimeo.
LAWTON, OK (KSWO)- Taking care of wounds can be a daunting task. Knowing what to do and how to treat your wound is essential in proper healing. Luckily, Comanche County Memorial Hospital offers a service that specializes in wound care treatment.
With a 90 percent heal rate, the Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine offers Texomans a comprehensive range of wound care services from treating foot problems to managing home health.
Barbara McGuffin has been coming to the wound center for about eight years now.
“I come knockin on their door when I need to,” said Barbara McGuffin, a CCMH Wound Center patient.
McGuffin recently had hip replacement surgery in early November, and during the healing process, acquired what is called a venous ulcer on her ankle from venous insufficiency. After her surgeon did what he could to help, he pointed her to the Wound Center.
“He made sure I was happy with the wound clinic. He said let them take over and do this part,” McGuffin explained.
The wound center sees patients for all kinds of wounds from diabetic foot ulcers and venous leg ulcers to traumatic wounds that are not healing quickly.
“Our goals are to get them healed as soon as possible,” expressed Dr. Paul Nioce, the CCMH Wound Center Medical Director.
Dr. Paul Nioce says they work very closely with the vascular surgeons, the interventional cardiologists, and the general surgeons at CCMH to make sure that the blood supply to these wounds is good. Dr. Nioce says oxygen is a key component to healing and the Hyperbaric Chamber is specifically meant for delivering oxygen to patients who qualify for the treatment.
“We put them in an acrylic tube, and you can see out of it. The patient is just sitting on a gurney and they get to watch TV. But when they’re in the tube, we pressurize it with 100 percent oxygen usually at 2 atmospheres. And what that does is we’re forcing way more oxygen into the person’s blood, and therefore into their tissues than what their body and blood could normally carry,” Dr. Nioce explained
For McGuffin, she says she keeps coming back because the level of care the doctors and nurses give, is top notch.
“The doctors are trained specifically in wound care and have that expertise. And it is all the difference in the world, because I’ve had both take care of me. And it’s just better care,” McGuffin said.
McGuffin says through all her treatments she’s not really experienced any pain. Just some throbbing here and there. Dr. Nioce says the staff really focuses on that.
“We try make sure that we address the patients pain, because that’s always a concern. Nobody wants to be in pain, wounds are already very painful,” Dr. Nioce said.
After 8 weeks of treatment, Mrs. McGuffin is finally healed up and says she’ll recommend the wound center and their staff to anyone.
“I think you’d have to be a special person to work here. Because you see all kinds of things. Much worse than this. And I think they’re very caring. And for a Doctor to specialize in that, I would think he would have to be very caring,” said McGuffin.
If you would like more information on the center for wound care give them a call at 580-357-3280. You don’t have to have a doctor’s referral.
For MedWatch 7, I’m Makenzie Burk.
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