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Wound Care

Board Certified Vascular Surgeons, Vascular Surgery & Cardiology located in Kalamazoo, Allegan, Battle Creek, Coldwater, Sturgis and Three Rivers, MI

Wound Care

Wound Care services offered in Kalamazoo, Allegan, Battle Creek, Coldwater, Sturgis and Three Rivers, MI

Ulcers are raw, often deep wounds that are frequently difficult to heal. If you have one or more ulcers, the experienced team at Advanced Vascular Surgery in Kalamazoo, Michigan, provides the specialized treatment you need. Their wound care experts clean and dress wounds using cutting-edge techniques that help the tissues heal and prevent infection. Call Advanced Vascular Surgery today or request a consultation online for exceptional wound care.

Wound Care Q & A

What is wound care?

Wound care is a specialized treatment for slow-healing ulcers that may develop when you have poor circulation. These wounds are open sores that typically form on the lower legs and feet, sometimes forming deep craters that expose the bone.

Ulcers are resistant to healing and prone to infection, which can lead to gangrene. Even with treatment, once gangrene sets in and the tissues start dying, it may not be possible to save the affected limb.

The Advanced Vascular Surgery team offers expert wound care services to prevent infection, gangrene, and limb amputation.

What kinds of ulcers require wound care?

Advanced Vascular Surgery provides comprehensive wound care for these common conditions:

Venous stasis ulcers

Venous stasis ulcers develop when you have chronic venous insufficiency (which causes varicose veins) or blood clots in the leg veins. Fluid build-up causes swelling, thinning skin, and tissue deterioration that leads to open wounds forming.

Arterial (ischemic) ulcers

Arterial ulcers are caused by conditions affecting blood flow into your legs, like peripheral artery disease (PAD). Deprived of oxygenated blood, the tissues weaken and decay, forming open sores.

Diabetic ulcers

Leg ulcers are a common problem for people with diabetes. Poorly controlled blood sugar (the cause of diabetes) can lead to blood vessel and nerve damage (diabetic peripheral neuropathy).

Neuropathy can numb your feet, so you don’t notice a break in the skin. Poor blood flow means the injury doesn’t get enough oxygen or healing cells to repair itself, and an ulcer develops.

What does wound care involve?

When you visit Advanced Vascular Surgery for an assessment, your provider reviews your health history and symptoms and performs a physical exam. They might order blood tests to check for infection and arrange diagnostic imaging procedures like venous ultrasound to evaluate your circulation.

After identifying the cause and severity of your ulcer, the team prepares a customized treatment plan to reduce pain, prevent infection, and encourage healing. The first stage is cleaning the wound, which may require surgical debridement. That involves removing all dead and infected tissue from the wound.

After cleansing the ulcer, your provider applies specialized dressings. They might recommend antibiotics if you have an infection and additional treatments like hyperbaric oxygen or ultrasound therapy to help the tissues heal. You may need to undergo procedures like balloon angioplasty to address the circulation issues causing your ulcers.

To benefit from exceptional wound care, call Advanced Vascular Surgery or request an appointment online today.