Wound Care

845.794.3300, Extension 2819

The Wound Care program at Catskill Regional Medical Center (CRMC) works closely with the Diabetes Education program to promote the healing of patients suffering with chronic wounds. These two areas are closely related. More than 50% of the patients in the Wound Care unit are people living with diabetes.

What Is a Wound?

A wound is an injury involving a break in the skin. Wounds that do not heal in a timely fashion (generally 2 weeks) are chronic wounds. Chronic wounds cause pain, discomfort and limited mobility. Chronic wounds may result in reclusive behavior and other social and economic consequences.

Chronic wounds often result from other serious health problems such as diabetes, heart disease and circulation disorders. Other contributing factors include poor nutrition and abnormal pressure on skin over bony areas.

Types of Chronic wounds:

Venous stasis ulcers are the most common type of leg ulcer and result from poor venous circulation (venous insufficiency). Pressure ulcers are usually caused by unrelieved pressure and generally found over a bony prominence. Patients who are elderly, malnourished, bedridden or paralyzed are more prone to this type of wound. Arterial ulcers usually result from "poor circulation" or "hardening of the arteries" (arteriosclerosis). These ulcers can be very painful and occur on the toes or feet.

About Our Team

The CRMC Wound Care team includes:

• General Surgeon
• Plastic Surgeon
• Podiatric Surgeon
• Vascular Surgeon
• Nurse Practitioners
• Licensed Practical Nurses

All our physicians are Board Certified in their special fields. In addition, many team members have obtained Board Certification in the relatively new specialty of Wound Care Management.

About Our Services

CRMC's Wound Care program provides a broad range of state-of-the art and specialized services including:

• Biotechnology, a new field that combines local wound care and the use of some very cutting edge biological grafts, dressings and growth factor therapy.
• The latest equipment for non-invasive venous and arterial vascular testing.
• A new Peripheral Arterial Angiography Suite which is a more invasive diagnostic test for arterial insufficiency problems which can also be therapeutic for those patients in need of peripheral angioplasty or stent placement.
• Compression Therapy used to treat chronic venous and lymphatic conditions.