Physician Brings New Wound Healing Technology to Ohio

CLEVELAND — University Hospitals (UH) Richmond Medical Center is the first clinical setting in Ohio to utilize a special technology that sends acoustic sound waves to wounds to jump start the healing process. Windy Cole, DPM, Certified Wound Specialist Physician at the Center for Wound Care at UH Richmond Medical Center, is leading the use of the novel device in the state through research and case studies.

The dermaPACE^® System from SANUWAVE, is an FDA approved device indicated for treatment of diabetic foot ulcers. The device delivers acoustic shock waves to tissues, helping to jump start wound healing through new blood vessel formation.

“We know that patients with diabetes have limitations in wound healing because they have poor circulation to the lower extremities, and their small vessels are sometimes compromised,” explained Dr. Cole. “Sometimes, patients have arterial sclerosis and hardening of the large arteries as well, so nutrients and oxygen can’t get to the area of the wound through the blood. If we can increase the vascularity to the area with new blood vessel growth, then hopefully we can accelerate healing in patients.”

Treatment is done once per week as an outpatient visit at the Center for Wound Care at UH Richmond Medical Center, and only takes a few minutes of the patient’s time. The podiatrist simply measures the wound, and based on the dimensions, delivers a certain number of “doses” of acoustic pulses to the wound. Dr. Cole says that patients she has worked with do not feel the pulses, but they may hear a popping sound as the treatment uses sound waves.

“Managing chronic wounds effectively decreases the chance of infection, hospitalization, antibiotic use, and especially amputation, which can severely impact patients’ quality of life,” added Dr. Cole. “I’m happy to be able to bring this innovative therapy to the community.”

For facilities that don’t have hyperbaric oxygen chambers, and for patients that don’t qualify for that particular therapy, treatment with dermaPACE is very accessible and only takes a few minutes during an outpatient visit.

Patients can schedule an appointment with Dr. Cole by calling 440-585-6101. To learn more about the procedure, patients can visit www.sanuwave.com/dermapace, or watch a video of the device in-use.