(April 1, 2008) Pleasanton, TX —The recent expansion of the South Texas Regional Wound Care and Hyperbaric Department provides a new opportunity to assist more patients with their wound healing. The center has acquired a new hyperbaric dive chamber with features that enhance the patient experience by providing a sense of increased space for optimal comfort while undergoing treatment.

The center's scope of services include comprehensive wound care in conjunction with transcutaneous oxygen monitoring to determine tissue hypoxia, non-surgical skin grafting, negative pressure therapy, advanced wound therapies, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

These therapies aid in the treatment of complex skin infections and complicated wounds that can result from diabetes, pressure ulcers, infection, circulatory problems or other complications which interfere with the body's ability to heal wounds normally. For patients with these conditions, any wound left untreated can lead to serious infection, hospitalization, disability or limb loss. Patients with chronic wounds benefit from specialized care delivered by trained professionals with advanced therapies, such as hyperbaric treatment.

The STR Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center provides service to the center's patients under the medical supervision of a certified hyperbaric physician. The physician and staff members have received advanced wound care and hyperbaric training. In addition, these physician and staff members are licensed in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).

All patient care is individualized to the patient's needs. Detailed treatment plans are created for each patient and each wound is carefully tracked at weekly examinations. Progress reports are sent to the patient's physician to update their records on the patient's condition.

Donald Krampetz, D.O., CWS is the Medical Director for STR's Wound Care and Hyperbaric Department and also named STR's 2007 Physician of the Year. He has been medical director since 2001 and has his advanced certification in wound care since 2005. The center is under the direction of Christy Foster, BSN, CHRN. Foster has over 10 years of experience in wound care with certification in hyperbaric therapy for 8 years.. "The advancement of wound care has created multiple options to heal our patients more rapidly and to provide better outcomes to their overall health," says Foster.

New wound care software has improved documentation and continuity of care among caregivers. STR proudly reports a 92% "Completely Healed" wound outcome for the month of January 2008. To learn more details about the services offered at the STR Wound Care Center, call 830-569-2029 today!