The prevalence of diabetes in Appalachia is increasing at a disturbing rate. In Kentucky, one in seven adults has been diagnosed with diabetes. However, in Eastern Kentucky, that number jumps to nearly one in four or 25 percent of adults. Alarmingly, there is also a substantial increase in youth who are diabetic.
For many patients with both Type I and Type II diabetes, healing from wounds or diabetic ulcers can be difficult. The PMC Wound Center works with patients to develop a comprehensive approach to treat wounds that have resisted other treatments, many times avoiding the amputation of limbs.
Patients who have a wound that has not begun to heal in several weeks may be candidates for hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. In a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber, the pressure is increased to the equivalent of being 66 feet below sea level. Under these conditions, oxygen is forced into the bloodstream which is then carried to the wound site, enhancing the healing process.
“PMC is fortunate to have two hyperbaric oxygen chambers,” explained PMC Wound Center Director, David Thacker. “In our region, not all hospitals have hyperbaric oxygen chambers. Having two gives us an additional tool to treat our patients. It is amazing to see how much a patient’s body responds to 100 percent pure oxygen under these conditions. Often, we can see healing begins after 10–15 treatments.”
The PMC Wound Center is a full-time, specialized department within the hospital comprised of a team dedicated to treating wounds that are showing difficulty in healing. Non-healing wounds are particularly prevalent among the estimated 26 million Americans affected by diabetes. Of those patients diagnosed, approximately 15–25 percent are at risk for developing foot ulcers.
For more information on the PMC Wound Center and options available for treating non-healing wounds, please visit our Wound Center Page or call 606-218-4721.
