Wound center offers hyperbaric oxygen chamber

ZANESVILLE - The first time Florindo Daniele of Cambridge climbed into a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, he lasted nine seconds of his scheduled 90-minute treatment before asking to be let out.

He managed to get back in, despite his claustrophobia, and finish that session as well as 59 others, each 90 minutes long, in the HBO chamber at the Genesis Wound Management Center in Zanesville. The treatment was worth it, he said, to save his foot.

The wound center has existed for about 16 years, but it didn't receive its hyperbaric oxygen chamber until a few years ago, said Dena Bell, the center's program director. In that time, the chamber has served 80 patients. The wound center has about 300 active patients.

It differs from the emergency room in that it primarily treats wounds stemming from chronic conditions, such as complications from diabetes, including foot and leg ulcers, post-operative wounds that aren't healing correctly or complications from radiation treatment. Dr. Charles Feicht said occasionally the center will take an ER patient with wounds too complicated for that department to handle. There is a wide variety of cases the center treats.

"We treat all kinds of chronic wounds," Feicht said.

As many as 10 percent of active patients could qualify for oxygen treatment, Bell said.

The HBO chambers (the wound center has two) work by providing patients with 100 percent oxygen at twice the standard atmospheric pressure, which targets the wound and, if treatment is successful, stimulates healing. A standard HBO treatment consists of 30 to 60 90-minute sessions.

The next nearest HBO chambers are located at facilities in Marietta and Columbus, Bell said, both of which can be inconvenient at best for local residents, and impossible at worst, especially for those without reliable transportation.

During treatment, patients can watch TV through the chamber walls, or even sleep, but they can't hear anything happening outside. They do have a call button they can use to talk to the center's staff. Daniele received HBO treatment in October and November following a toe amputation due to diabetes complications.

If he hadn't done the treatment, he could have lost his entire foot.

"My toe missing was bad enough," he said. "That was motivation."

Daniele lives in Cambridge, and the wound center in Zanesville is the nearest facility with an HBO chamber. But if the chamber, and wound center, weren't here, he would not have driven to Columbus or Marietta. He would have gone to Pittsburgh, because that's where he has family.

But the availability of the wound center's services in Zanesville allowed him to stay in Cambridge as well as schedule treatments for separate health issues around his HBO treatment. He's glad he was able to get treated at the center, and he was even happier to keep his foot.

"It was a hard commitment," he said. "I've still got a scab … but it's pretty much healed up."

In the chamber, it takes eight minutes to get the oxygen pressure level to where it needs to be, and eight minutes to bring it down again at the end of the session. Eight to 10 patients each day can be treated in the chambers, Bell said.

Patients are referred to the wound center from their primary care doctors, surgeons and other physicians across Muskingum County, Coshocton County and the surrounding areas, Feicht said. The center has a storage room packed with various types of bandages, first aid, a number of medications and specialized dressings for uncommon skin problems.

"Your (regular) doctor's office is not going to have these treatment options," Feicht said.

Patients can refer themselves to the center, as well. Bell said the center's staff tries to book appointments within three days of the patient calling, and occasionally can book same-day appointments.

"We don't have to have a referral," she said. "Lots of patients self-refer."

The wound center has nine nurses, a general surgeon, a retired ER doctor, two podiatrists, one nurse practitioner and two physicians who oversee the HBO chambers. The wound center received the HBO chambers through its three-year-old partnership with Healogics, a national wound care organization, Bell said.

ksnyder2@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com

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How to make an appointment

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Location: Physician Pavilion 945 Bethesda Drive Zanesville, OH 43701