CentraState - Healthy Directions

hyperbaric healing W hen 65-year-old Linda Korsch of Morganville dropped a can of corn on her foot, she never expected to develop gangrene. Although the pantry accident was extremely painful, Linda dried her tears, washed the injured area, and resumed her normal life. "After a few weeks, I noticed my foot wasn't healing properly and the area was slowly turning black," Linda says. "I immediately contacted my podiatrist, who sent me to the Emergency Department [ED] at CentraState Medical Center." MAintAininG Foot FunCtion At the ED, Linda was seen by John A. Brandeisky, DPM, FACFAS, board-certified surgeon and podiatrist and medical co-director of the Central Jersey Wound Treatment Center at CentraState. After meeting with Dr. Brandeisky, Linda was admitted to CentraState's Intensive Care Unit to bring down her blood sugar levels, which were elevated. There she learned she had diabetes and that immediate surgery was needed to save her foot and leg. Diabetes, which can result in nerve damage in the lower extremities, had caused Linda's wound to worsen. "Because of Linda's undiagnosed diabetes, the trauma to her foot obstructed blood circulation, which resulted in gas gangrene [a potentially deadly form of tissue death]," Dr. Brandeisky says. "During the surgical procedure, we removed a large portion of the middle of her foot, leaving the big toe and pinky toe." After removal of the gas gangrene, Linda was stabilized and seen by Tushar Tripathi, MD, vascular surgeon on the medical staff at CentraState. Dr. Tripathi was able to restore much of the circulation needed to heal Linda's foot wound. After a few days, Linda was discharged, but she continued to receive follow-up care from the wound care team at the Central Jersey Wound Treatment Center at CentraState, accredited by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society. 8 March/April 2012 Hyperbaric oxygen therapy overseen by John A. Brandeisky, DPM, FACFAS, at the Central Jersey Wound Treatment Center at CentraState helped keep Linda Korsch on her feet. Physicians utilized hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy to restore Linda's foot function. Sessions of HBO therapy used highly concentrated oxygen to kill the bacteria in her foot while simultaneously restoring oxygen to the tissue, which is necessary for healing. Dr. Brandeisky also performed several surgical procedures to grow new tissue, ultimately saving the foot she now walks on. "Through the multidisciplinary collaboration of care between myself, Dr. Tripathi, and Ramanasri Kudipudi, MD [infectious disease physician on the medical staff at CentraState], and Diane Yacono and Tara Quigley, wound care nurses, Linda's foot—and life—were spared," Dr. Brandeisky says. "Today Linda's foot is completely healed and fully functional." CAReFul in the KitChen While remaining cautious of dropping any objects, Linda has moved on with her life. Her foot healed quickly with weekly HBO treatments. "I can't say enough great things about the medical staff at CentraState," Linda says. "They've treated me like family every step of the way, and thanks to the exceptional team of surgeons and podiatrists, I'm on the road to recovery." To learn more about podiatric medicine and surgery at CentraState, call (866) CENTRA7 (866-236-8727) or visit www.centrastate.com/podiatry. HD Healthy Directions

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