Non-Healing Wounds Specialist
-
- Tweet
Cardiac & Vascular Interventions of New Jersey
Interventional Vascular Specialists located in New Brunswick, NJ
Nonhealing wounds like pressure sores and leg ulcers can persist for months and even years, causing significant distress and disability. If you have a nonhealing wound, board-certified specialist Ramzan Zakir, MD, of Cardiac & Vascular Interventions of New Jersey can help. At his state-of-the-art practice in New Brunswick, New Jersey, Dr. Zakir uses advanced wound care treatments to manage leg ulcers in addition to resolving the underlying cause of your condition. Call the office to schedule a consultation or use the online booking form today.
Non-Healing Wounds Q&A
What are nonhealing wounds?
Nonhealing wounds are open sores that are slow to heal or remain open despite treatment. Once they form, nonhealing wounds can persist for months and even years. They can be painful and disabling, and there's a significant risk of infection.
Should a nonhealing wound get infected, it can lead to tissue and bone death. Infected nonhealing wounds are the leading cause of foot and leg amputation, which might be necessary to prevent the infection from spreading to the rest of your body.
There are several types of nonhealing wounds, including:
- Leg ulcers
- Pressure sores
- Surgical wounds
- Radiation sores
They occur when something interferes with your body's normal tissue repair process. The most common type of nonhealing wound is a leg ulcer.
What causes nonhealing wounds?
The main causes and risk factors for developing nonhealing wounds like leg ulcers are:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Chronic venous insufficiency
- Nerve damage
- Bone infection
- Being inactive or immobile
- Weakened immune system
- Poor nutrition
- Excessive alcohol consumption
- Smoking
Many of these factors affect the way blood circulates around your body. For instance, chronic venous insufficiency reduces blood flow back to your heart due to a failure of the valves that operate a one-way system in your veins.
Improper circulation encourages leg swelling from fluid buildup (edema) and leg discoloration as blood cells break down. These, in turn, weaken the tissues in your legs and make them vulnerable to nonhealing wounds.
Reduced blood flow also restricts the amount of oxygen and number of healing cells reaching injured tissues. Without enough of these vital resources, wounds aren't able to heal properly.
How are nonhealing wounds treated?
Treating nonhealing wounds involves two stages. First, Dr. Zakir’s highly skilled wound care team cleans and dresses your wound. They remove any dead tissue — a process known as debridement — and apply special dressings to keep the wound clean and encourage healing.
It's also important to address the underlying cause of your nonhealing wound. This might involve managing your diabetes more effectively and making lifestyle changes that improve your overall health.
Dr. Zakir can treat problems like chronic venous insufficiency using advanced, minimally invasive techniques that close off the diseased veins. When your blood flows through healthy veins, it prevents the fluid buildup and tissue breakdown that encourages ulcer formation.
Dr. Zakir also specializes in preserving limbs that are in danger of amputation.
For prompt, expert care of nonhealing wounds, call Cardiac & Vascular Interventions of New Jersey today or book an appointment online.