Jordan Hospital receives approval to open new Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center

Aug 25 2010

Jordan Hospital is pleased to announce that it has received approval from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for the opening of its new, state-of-the-art Wound Healing and Hyperbaric Center (Wound Center) located on the hospital campus in Plymouth, Mass. The Wound Center features the only hospital-based hyperbaric treatment chamber in the greater Plymouth and Cape Cod region. The new Wound Center provides individuals with chronic, non-healing wounds, a local option for wound care and hyperbaric therapy.

Our experienced team of doctors, wound care certified nurses, nutritionists, physical therapists, diabetic educators and other specialists provide the highest level of care in the region. Under the medical direction of Dr. Scott James, vascular surgeon, Jordan Hospital, the Wound Center specialists take a team approach that addresses a patient's wound as well as the education and support necessary to treat the underlying disease process.

"Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy can be used for those with severe bone infections, failing skin grafts and flaps, and diabetic wounds compounded by restricted blood supply," says Dr. James. "That Jordan Hospital has this facility available is a terrific asset for the region and those who require advanced wound care."

How HBO Therapy Works

HBO therapy uses a special chamber to allow a person to breathe 100% oxygen. A full course of HBO therapy runs between 20 and 40 days, five days a week.  A hyperbaric chamber is a large compartment, usually made of acrylic and aluminum, designed to withstand a large increase in internal pressure. The air we breathe is a mixture of oxygen, nitrogen and other gases. Our bodies are usually able to heal themselves with a normal oxygen level, but in certain conditions extra oxygen is required. During HBO therapy, the pressure is increased with 100% oxygen. Breathing pure oxygen under pressure causes much more oxygen than usual to be dissolved in the blood and, subsequently, the rest of the body. The extra oxygen is used in many ways. Depending on the underlying problem, the oxygen can improve wound healing by reducing swelling, keeping infection under control and stimulating new blood vessel growth.