Wound Care Specialist
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Collier Podiatry
Michael J Petrocelli, DPM, FACFAS, CWSP
Foot & Ankle Surgeon & Wound Care Specialist located in Naples, FL
If you have chronic ulcers on your feet or ankles that never fully heal, you likely need expert wound care. Leg ulcers are a serious and painful disorder, but board-certified foot and ankle surgeon Michael Petrocelli, DPM, FACFAS, CWSP, of Collier Podiatry in Naples, Florida, specializes in treating these persistent wounds. Find out how Dr. Petrocelli can help you recover from leg ulcers by calling Collier Podiatry today.
Wound Care Q&A
What is wound care?
Wound care is a specialized approach to managing foot and lower leg ulcers. These open wounds are often a complication of having diabetes mellitus, causing the blood vessels in your feet and hands to shrink.
The resulting restriction in blood flow damages the nerves in these areas and reduces sensation in your feet and lower legs. This condition is called diabetic peripheral neuropathy.
Chronic wounds also develop because of venous stasis. With this condition, the veins in your lower legs don't receive adequate blood flow.
If you bump or cut your foot, the reduced blood flow caused by both diabetic peripheral neuropathy and venous stasis makes it difficult for wounds to heal. These wounds are painful and disabling, and often particularly challenging to treat.
They require expert care from an experienced podiatrist like Dr. Petrocelli at Collier Podiatry.
What does wound care involve?
The first stage in wound care is to clean and dress the wound. That includes removing any dead tissue, a process known as debridement. Once the wound is clear of dead and infected tissue, Dr. Petrocelli applies specialized dressings to encourage healing.
This cleaning process needs repeating regularly, but very carefully, to help new tissues to grow. Dr. Petrocelli also takes a swab of the wound for laboratory analysis. That allows him to determine the best strategy for your wound care program and prescribe the most effective medications.
Dr. Petrocelli also works with vascular surgeons, who specialize in your body's circulatory system. They can address problems like venous stasis using minimally invasive techniques that restore blood flow to the affected tissues. Improved blood flow means your wound can finally heal.
Can regenerative medicine treatments help with wound care?
Regenerative medicine techniques like stem cell therapy can help with wound care by stimulating the production of new, healthy cells and tissues.
Regenerative medicine uses substances extracted from human blood and tissues. Sometimes these are from your body; other types are from healthy donors.
Dr. Petrocelli has had particular success using NuCel®, a product that contains donated human amnion and cells from amniotic fluid. These substances have concentrated quantities of growth factors and other components that boost your body's healing processes.
Find out more about the outstanding wound care services available at Collier Podiatry by calling the office today.