Cypress hospital offers new therapy for non-healing wounds

Wound treatment is essential for 30 million Americans who live with diabetes

CYPRESS, Texas – Many people in Houston are living with diabetes, a condition that increases the risk for many serious health problems.

But there is a new procedure that promises to help with one of the more common complications --ulcers.

Mir Ali, a wound care doctor at Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital, provided details about how  hyperbaric oxygen therapy can help improve the quality of life of these patients.

"It's a clear acrylic tube. The whole patient goes in, and then we seal it, and then they breathe 100% oxygen under higher-than-atmospheric pressure. When you do that, you're able to push more oxygen into the bloodstream. You're able to saturate it a little more fully, and then deliver more to the wound, build new blood vessel. You're able to fight infections better, build new tissue, in an effort to heal these wounds faster," said Ali about the treatment that is offered at the wound care clinic in Cypress.

Besides diabetic foot ulcers, the clinic specializes in such wounds as venous ulcers; pressure ulcers; non-healing, post-surgical wounds; post-radiation ulcers and arterial ulcers.

According to Ali, patients with non-healing wounds should be on the lookout for the following signs.

"Generally, redness, warmth, swelling and odor are tipoff to infections, but diabetic patients should be checking out their feet every day, multiple times a day just to make sure they are not getting cracks or open wounds," said Ali, who recommended that patients stay involved in their care and ask for an evaluation at the  wound care clinic, which offers the most advanced wound care products and services available.

To schedule an appointment with a specialist at Memorial Hermann Cypress Hospital Wound Care Clinic, call 346-231-4000 or visit memorialhermann.org/cypress.