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Informational/Educational Report
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Hyperbaric medicine practices in wound care centers Roberto A. Penne-Casanova, MD, Medical Multiplex, Inc., Prospect, KY During the last decade we have witnessed an extraordinary growth of interest and activity in the field of hyperbaric medicine. This is due in part, to the important progress made in defining the mechanisms of action of hyperbaric oxygen therapy and to a growing awareness of its place in the medical treatment of various aspects of hypoxic-related illnesses. An increasing awareness of the significance of problems facing patients suffering from chronic and non-healing wounds in our aging society and the oportunity to improve patient outcomes has further stimulated the growth of this specialty With this growth, the need exist for basic recommendations to guide practitioners on issues such as training, responsibility, staffing, credentialling, safety, and quality assurance. This recomendations should be based on reliable practice data with accurate outcome measurements. I will present data accumulated from multiple centers that have been using WoundPath from the Bamboo division of Smith & Nephew. I will present an overview of the practice of hyperbaric medicine in wound care centers. Will present actual data from six wound care centers that uses hyperbaric medicine as adjuctive therapy for the treatment of wounds. Will analyze practice patterns on each center based on the data. Will present outcome measurements from each center, and comapare with outcome data from wound care centers that don't use hyperbaric medicine and try to establish practice patterns among these centers. |
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