Guthrie’s Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine

Guthrie’s Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine is a hospital-based outpatient service located on the fourth floor of Guthrie’s Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA. Patients can self-refer to the center or be referred by a physician. For more information about wound care at Guthrie, call (570) 882-6724, or choose from the options below.

About the Center
About Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Frequently Asked Questions About Hyperbaric Therapy
Hyperbaric Treatment Guidelines
Treatment Options
Who Needs Wound Care?
Wound Center Physicians
Wound Center Staff

PHYSICIANS

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Clinical Updates:2004 / 2005

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About the Center

Guthrie’s Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine includes four exam rooms, plus a suite with two large, clear acrylic hyperbaric oxygen chambers, each with its own TV/VCR and CD player for patients to watch movies or listen to music during treatment. The completely transparent chambers allow patients to see and be seen.

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Who Needs Wound Care?

A surprising number of people require wound care at some point in their lives. A minimum of 15% of patients with diabetes will have a chronic, non-healing wound during their lifetimes. Individuals without diabetes may also experience a non-healing wound for other reasons, such as radiation therapy, trauma, or due to other medical conditions. Guthrie’s wound management model involves treatment for a wide variety of wounds, including:

bone necrosis
brown recluse spider bites
burns
chronic non-healing wounds
compromised skin grafts and flaps
crush injuries
decubitus ulcers (pressure sores or bedsores)
diabetic foot and leg ulcers
diabetic wounds
gangrene
ischemic wounds (wounds with no blood supply)
osteomyelitis (bone infection)
ostomy-related skin problems and wounds
peripheral vascular disease and circulatory-related wounds
radionecrosis (tissue damage due to radiation therapy)
refractory osteomyelitis (recurrent bone infection)
soft tissue necrosis (death of muscle or skin tissue)
traumatic wounds

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Treatments Options

Treatments involve research-based, best clinical practice wound care management, including:

debridement (removal of dead tissue)
hyperbaric oxygen therapy
ostomy-related skin and wound care
skin replacement (bio-engineered tissue)
vacuum-assisted wound closure

Patients undergoing wound treatment at the center receive topical and/or oral pain medication if necessary (excluding hyperbaric treatment, which is painless). Each patient’s wound-healing progress is tracked by the web-based WoundStar® program, which measures and photographs the wound weekly from the beginning of treatment to completion, so progress can be precisely monitored. Every patient who begins treatment at the wound center receives a complete history and physical, and each patient’s condition is considered in a holistic manner, since healing will only take place if patients eat well and have other medical concerns under control.

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About Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy -- the use of 100% oxygen under pressure to promote healing -- works because it quickly delivers high concentrations of oxygen to the bloodstream, accelerating the healing rate of wounds. It also stimulates the growth of new blood vessels, which improves circulation.

Hyperbaric therapy is indicated for about 20% of wound care patients – your treating physician will advise whether or not it is appropriate in your case. The average course of treatment lasts for 25 consecutive days (excluding weekends). Hyperbaric therapy is painless and does not require pain medication.

There are five primary diagnoses for which hyperbaric therapy is indicated in a wound care center setting:

compromised skin grafts or flaps
diabetic foot ulcers
ischemic wounds
radiation necrosis
refractory osteomyelitis

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Hyperbaric Treatment Guidelines

For safety reasons, certain items are not allowed inside the hyperbaric chambers. Please do not wear or bring the following into the chamber during your treatment:

makeup
perfume
aftershave
hairspray/hair oils
wigs/hairpieces
nail polish
alcohol- or petroleum-based products
metallic items of any kind (jewelry, watches, coins, etc.)
flammable materials
hearing aids
glasses
Ask your hyperbaric physician for advice about wearing contact lenses during treatment.
You should also refrain from smoking during the course of your treatment, as tobacco use will prolong the healing process, constricting blood vessels in your body.

When you arrive for treatment, you will be provided with 100% cotton garments to wear.

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Wound Center Physicians

The following Guthrie physicians treat patients in the wound center. In addition to their respective specialty training, all physicians and medical staff of the wound center have completed additional training -- 60 hours in hyperbaric therapy and 40 hours in wound care.

* Farokh Samimi, MD, Vascular Surgery - brochure
Jayant Chivate, MD, General Surgery
Narayan Deshmukh, MD, Vascular Surgery

* Medical Director - Guthrie Wound Care Center

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Wound Center Staff

The wound center is staffed by administrative director Patrick McMahon, clinical coordinator Janet Box-Panksepp, RN, BSN, CWON, CHRN; registered nurses, Erin Miller, RN, BSN, CWS, Molly Welch, RN, BSN, CCRN; Barbara Lebo, RN, BSN, CCRN; Dawn Mattison, RN, BSN, CCRN; hyperbaric safety director John Ferencik, EMT, CHT and hyperbaric technicians Marvin Vanduzer; and administrative assistants Lisa Jenner, Lori Allis and Kirsten Cascio.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Hyperbaric Therapy

What does it feel like?

Patients spend the two-hour treatment comfortably resting inside the hyperbaric chamber. Pressure is gradually increased and the temperature will temporarily rise. When the desired pressure is achieved, the temperature will be adjusted to your comfort. You may experience fullness in your ears as a result of the increased pressure. The technician will instruct you in ways to help reduce the pressure and relieve any discomfort.

What can I do to pass the time during treatment?

You may relax, sleep, watch videos or listen to music. For safety reasons books or other reading materials are not permitted inside the chamber.

If I am sick, should I still have my hyperbaric treatment?

Please come for your scheduled appointment but let the staff know if you have a cough or cold, the flu, a sore throat, chills, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. Also be sure to let the staff know of any changes in medications you are taking.

Are there special instructions if I have diabetes?

If you have diabetes, be sure to eat properly and continue your prescribed medications (including insulin) during your course of hyperbaric treatment. Your blood sugar will be checked during each visit to the wound center.

Will there be any side-effects of the hyperbaric therapy?

You may experience temporary vision changes that should subside a few weeks after your therapy is complete. You may also experience fatigue. Both are normal side-effects.

How long should I plan to be at the wound center for treatment?

Please allow up to two and a half hours for each visit.

May I drive myself to my treatments?

Yes.

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