December 28, 2004

Centra Health's Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine has received a three-year accreditation from The Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society. The center, which treats hard to heal wounds, is one of only three centers accredited in Virginia and the 38th in the U.S. "We are delighted that our Wound Care Center has received this accreditation," said Bob Walker, director of Centra Health's Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine. "We know we are providing a vitally needed service in our community that is making a difference in the lives of many people."

The wound care center went through an intense survey and review process. Tom Carrico, M.D., plastic surgeon, and medical director of the wound care center, emphasized how important each person in the wound care center was in attaining the accreditation. "It really was through the staff's effort that enabled us to be the third facility accredited in the state," said Dr. Carrico.

Centra Health opened the Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine in 2003 as one of Virginia Baptist Hospital's newly emerging specialty programs. The majority of the center's patients are diabetics. "Wound healing is an important part of a patient's recovery from surgery or from injury," said Dr. Carrico. "Hyperbarics is a wonderful way to assist patients, especially diabetics." Hyperbaric treatments also are used for chronic and difficult wounds, such as osteomyelitis, osteoradionecrosis and crush injuries. Wound care treatments also use the latest wound dressings made from components of human tissue.

The hyperbaric treatments provide oxygen to wound sites. Breathing pure oxygen increases the level of oxygen in a patient's bloodstream and promotes wound healing by stimulating new blood vessel growth and accelerating the normal healing process. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a treatment of pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Most hyperbaric patients receive 100 percent oxygen pressurized to 60 to 80 feet below sea level, compared to the 20 percent of unpressurized oxygen that people normally breathe from the air.

The Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society's purpose is to provide scientific information to protect the health of sport, military and commercial divers and to improve the scientific basis of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, promote sound treatment protocols and standards of practice and provide CME (Continued Medical Education) accreditation.