Healing Time: What a wound!
“What we want is to reduce healing time and thus reduce treatment,” emphasizes Jerome Marie, dermatologist at the hospital center since 2011. The healing department consists of several doctors, a vascular surgeon, dermatologists, and an infectious disease doctor. This allows for global support. Today, the dermatology department performs two to three skin grafts per week. “With the new machines, a method has been developed since the beginning of 2022,” Alexia Eyraud explains.
Some patients even tell us that they should have used our services before! »
99% of wounds are in the lower extremities with the common bedsores. So dermatologists with VistaCare compose: a box in which the leg stays 18 hours a day so that its environment is controlled. But also TPN (negative pressure therapy), which consists in applying pressure to the area around the wound, which is filled with a foam bandage. “The goal is also to make the wound bud, so that the grafting process is faster and more solid,” says Alexia Eyraud.
elderly patient
“The average age of our patients is 80 with regard to wounds,” says Jerome Marie. For the service team, it will be necessary to reduce the duration of hospitalization, since the risk with loss of mobility will be the loss of independence. “When you keep an elderly person for a long time, there is a risk of slip syndrome,” says the dermatologist. or a rapid deterioration in the general state of health, in connection with a triggering event (surgery, accident).
The Périgueux Hospital Center is also a partner of several residential institutions for dependent elderly (Ehpad) in Dordogne to monitor the development of wounds in person but also remotely thanks to telemedicine. With TPN, for example, patients can stay in their usual place of residence. Recovery takes between four and six weeks. By keeping themselves in their environment, they will be less anxious about treatment.
Also deal with stress
“Previously, operations were done under general anesthesia, now we do them locally,” says Jerome Marie. In addition, hypnotic analgesics are used to reduce pain using medical hypnosis. “The goal is to improve patient comfort,” Alexia Eyraud says. The dermatologist received five days of training for this support. Some patients even tell us that they should have called our services before! ‘, she adds.
