Chamber Holds Ribbon Cutting for Wound Care Center

The Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony Thursday for Stephens County Hospital’s new Wound Care Center on Falls Road in Toccoa.

Hospital Administrator Ed Gambrell said the wound care center will specialize in treating chronic wounds that some patients have.

He said such chronic wounds can result from a number of different conditions or situations.

Such reasons include age, weight issues, diabetes, and others, said Gambrell.

Gambrell said the wound care center will have access to many different treatment methods.

He noted that one of those is the location of two hyperbaric oxygen chambers in the wound care center itself.

“It is like a big capsule you lie in,” said Gambrell.  “100 percent oxygen is put into the capsule.”

According to Gambrell, the theory is that the oxygen speeds up the healing process.

Gambrell said the goal is to treat a chronic wound and help it heal before it causes further injury to the patient.

“For example, there are diabetics out there that have bad foot problems that sometimes can cause a partial amputation,” said Gambrell.  “Hopefully, an amputation can be avoided with hyperbaric therapy.”

For more information on the Stephens County Hospital Wound Care Center, call 706-282-5800.