I first met with the director of the Wound Clinic, Mark Loudenslagel, to figure out exactly what I'd be doing at the clinic since my pervious plans fell through. Last week, I discussed that I would be doing a retrospective study using the data collected by the Wound Clinic compared to national data. I would then be able to determine the effectiveness of the Wound Clinic at Osborn. We still haven't yet heard back from the legal department at the hospital to see if I would be able to have access to the data, but we have thought of a way around that; the personal information associated with the data can be expunged so that all I will have is raw data to work with (which wouldn't be a problem with the legal department).
I also found an area I would like to focus my project on. Osborn Wound Clinic has a huge hyperbaric chamber. The hyperbaric chamber delivers oxygen at a high pressure which aids in wound healing because it delivers a high amount of oxygen to the wound site.
Finally, I started my rounds with Dr. Stein and Dr. Weiland this week. I started last Wednesday (2/17) with Dr. Weiland and also went in last Thursday (2/18) with Dr. Stein. Before going into this project, I assumed most of the wounds were simply a result of trauma. However, I soon realized this was not true at all: almost all the patients I have seen so far have diabetes. A patient with diabetes has poor circulation to his or her extremities and has no sensation on their feet. As a result, their wounds have a difficult time healing on their own due to the low amount of oxygen and, if they step on a sharp object, he or she will have no idea because of the lack of sensation. This can lead to a Diabetic Foot Ulcer, as pictured below.
Ulcers are not specific to feet, however. A diabetic patient can also easily develop an ulcer on the lower part of their leg; I saw quite a few of those as well. I observed some debridement of wounds as well. Debridement is the removing of dead tissue from wounds to aid in healing.
This week, I learned a lot about wound care, but I also learned more about myself: I have a pretty strong stomach.
You certainly do have a strong stomach! Is this a stock image or one you took at the clinic? As Bhanu's project deals directly with issues related to diabetes, it's neat that you are in the same group and can compare experiences!
ReplyDeleteA few questions about your specialization area: How does the hyperbaric chamber work? Would anyone benefit, regardless of whether or not s/he has a wound? Do certain precautions need to be taken before entering the chamber? And finally, is there a certain point at which highly pressurized oxygen becomes more harmful than helpful?
Wow Alison! What you're researching is so awesome. (Though I agree with you about having a strong stomach!)
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned that diabetic patients can have very little feeling in their lower extremities. I'm slightly confused... does poor circulation just numb out the area, or is there severe damage to the nerve cells as well?
Alison, your first week sounds incredible! I was eating while reading your blog post and I gotta say-- you're lucky you have a strong stomach! That being said, if the wound is severe enough are there other ways of treating it-- can the wound be too severe that this chamber will not help to heal?
ReplyDeleteAllison, this is a great project! It looks like it will be a great experience for you. I'm excited to see what direction this takes you in . Could you explain to us a little more about the connection between diabetes, circulation, and treatment. Great work!
ReplyDeleteHi Alison, this seems like a very interesting start! So how big of a role does oxygen play in wound healing? Does it just help more cells grow faster or is there more that it does?
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