WOUND CARE EXPERTS IN SAN JOSE; NON-HEALING LEG OR ANKLE WOUNDS

Leg and foot wounds have become a huge problem in the United States. Fortunately, there are thousands of Wound Care Centers to help with the day to day care of these painful and potentially dangerous wounds. Wound care centers are usually affiliated with hospitals and function as one of many resources that a patients with wounds has at their disposal in an effort to keep their wounds from progressing to where amputation may be the only choice left to salvage the limb. Unfortunately, in many of these wound care centers an underlying cause for why many of these non-healing wounds don’t heal in a timely manner is often overlooked: circulation to the leg or foot. This can be either on the arterial side (Delivering oxygen and nutrients necessary to heal the affected area) or on the venous sid​e, (Removing toxins and fluid from the affected area).

Research has shown that about 70% of people who seek care at Wound Care Centers have an underlying circulation issue. Unfortunately, the current practice in most wound care centers is that this circulatory problem is not diagnosed or considered until after months of futile debridement and dressing changes have failed to achieve long term healing. In an effort to best treat non-healing leg wounds it is critical, therefore, for patients to have their circulation evaluated by a Vascular Surgeon.

This is even more important in patients over the age of 50, if there has EVER been a history of smoking, diabetes, or hypertension.

Finally, this evaluation must be done at the very start of a wound care patients treatment and not be put off until after debridement and other topical approaches have failed. If you or a loved one is currently being seen at a wound care center for non-healing leg wound it is vital that you insist upon getting a vascular ultrasound study if it has not already been done.

Testing for circulation is a non-invasive process and can be done, in most cases, in under an hour. Testing is pain free and does not involve the use of any drugs and or anesthesia. Using simple sound waves a Registered Vascular Ultrasonographer can easily scan for circulatory deficiencies and provide your physician with the critical information they need to develop a plan for how to best approach healing your wounds.

Non-healing leg wounds and ulcers fall into several different categories:

Diabetic Wounds: If you have diabetes, you may be prone to foot ulcers since you may not have protective sensation on your feet. Causes of foot ulcers include excessive pressure or rubbing against the skin that may result from wearing ill-fitting shoes or walking barefoot.

Arterial Wounds: Complete or partial arterial blockage can lead to ulcers. If you have arterial disease, you may have tests to measure blood flow or to locate a blockage in your arteries.

Venous Wounds: These ulcers are usually a symptom of venous disease, where the veins in your legs are compromised, causing blood to build up. Typical venous ulcers appear near the ankle and are often painful.

South Bay Vascular Center and Vein Institute, with offices in both Campbell and Gilroy, CA. specializes in the treatment of Non-healing leg and foot wounds. Led by Dr. Polyxene Kokinos, MD. RPVI. South Bay Vascular Center Physicians are world class experts in revascularization techniques that can help re-establish blood flow to areas suffering from circulatory illness. Recognized as an expert in her field, Dr. Kokinos teaches advanced revascularization techniques to local vascular surgeons looking to offer similar care to their patients. If you or anyone you know suffers from non-healing leg or foot wounds, call today at 408-376-3626 to schedule your appointment.

WE OFFER HOPE WHEN OTHERS SAY THERE IS NONE!

AWARD WINNING WOUND CARE IN SAN JOSE

The O’Connor Wound Care Center, which celebrates it’s 25th Anniversary this year, was the site of a ceremony on Thursday, June 18th 2019 honoring it with a Commendation from the City of San Jose. The honorable Sam Liccardo as well as all the City Council Members were involved in recognizing the O’Connor Wound Care Center for distinguished service to the citizens of San Jose. The plaque was presented by Council Member Dev Davis to Dr. Polly Kokinos of South Bay Vascular Center, who is the Medical Director of the O’Connor Wound Care Center, as well as to the entire staff of the Wound Care Center.

Chronic wounds are a silent epidemic in the United States affecting almost 7 million people. If not healed in a timely fashion, they can lead to loss of limb and life. The wound care center was started 25 years by Drs. Bruce Lehrman, Peter Schubart, and Jude Roussere, who are still active in it today. It is a testament to their vision and understanding that chronic wounds are best treated by a multidisciplinary approach and by a team that focuses on them. Their are 10 physicians from 6 different specialties all of whom are have special training in wound care, advanced treatment modalities for wounds, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Our team of twelve nurses and five additional staff members are committed to these patients, and several of them have worked at the center for decades. We follow published clinical practice guidelines to ensure the best outcomes and our wound healing rates are over 98%.

We are the only JHACO accredited center in the Bay Area, and are proud to offer advanced therapies such as skin substitutes, the LUNA laser system, and Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment for difficult to heal chronic wounds. We have treated and healed over 15,000 patients.

Should your patient need our expert help, please call us at 408-947-2804 for an appointment.