Wound Care
Vital Foot & Ankle: Leading Integrated Wound Care in Houston
At Vital Foot & Ankle, we understand that healthy feet are essential to your overall well-being. That’s why we’ve developed an innovative approach to wound care, guided by the principle: Save a Limb, Save a Life. As one of the first centers in Houston to unite podiatric medicine with leading vascular expertise, we offer a comprehensive, multidisciplinary model of care that redefines standards and delivers exceptional patient outcomes.
A Unique Collaboration at the Heart of Patient Care
Having vascular surgeons and cardiologists on our team means more than added care—it’s a smarter way to support healing. Poor circulation is one of the main reasons foot and ankle wounds, like diabetic ulcers or pressure sores, don’t heal properly. By working closely with our vascular and cardiology teams, we can quickly check and treat circulation issues, giving your body the best chance to heal and prevent future complications.
The Vital Foot & Ankle Approach
Understanding that no two wounds are identical, Vital Foot & Ankle offers personalized wound care regimens tailored to the specific needs of each patient. Our approach encompasses a thorough review of the patient’s medical history, a comprehensive clinical examination, and a determination of the wound etiology. This allows us to not only treat the wound itself but also to identify and manage underlying conditions such as uncontrolled diabetes, nutritional deficiencies, or immune system complications that may hinder recovery.
Etiology of wounds:
- Trauma
- Diabetic neuropathic wounds
- Surgical wounds
- Lower extremity ulcers (arterial ulcers, venous ulcers, mixed ulcers)
- Skin tears
- Radiation wounds
- Pressure or decubitus wounds
Risk factors that impede wound healing:
- Dietary or nutritional deficiencies
- Compromised immune system
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Smoking
- Poor circulation
- Pressure
- Friction and/or shear forces on wounds
- Excessive moisture
- Lower extremity edema (swelling)
Maintaining and promoting a healthy wound environment:
- Infection control
- Use of antimicrobial dressings
- Diligent wound care with proper cleansing
- Debridement of wounds to remove debris or bioburden
- Maintain moisture balance
- Use of appropriate shoes or pressure relief devices (heel protectors, total contact casts)
- Increase oxygenation of the wound environment (hyperbaric oxygen chamber)
- Use of orthobiologics, skin grafts, allografts or skin graft substitutes
Advanced Treatments in the Fight Against Amputation
Equipped with the latest in wound care technology, we employ an array of advanced therapeutic modalities. Infection control is paramount, and our facility uses cutting-edge antimicrobial dressings alongside meticulous wound cleansing practices. Debridement, crucial in the removal of dead or infected tissue, is performed with utmost precision, ensuring that the wound bed is optimally prepared to support new tissue growth.
Our commitment to evidence-based medicine also means integrating treatments like hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which enhances oxygenation in the wound environment, and orthobiologics, such as skin grafts and substitutes, that provide the essential scaffolding for tissue regeneration.
Risks Mitigated Through Education and Intervention
At Vital Foot & Ankle, we recognize that patient education is crucial to effective wound care management. This is why we place great emphasis on teaching our patients how to maintain a wound-conducive home environment. We advise on dietary adjustments, smoking cessation, and glucose monitoring, and provide guidance on proper footwear and pressure-relieving devices that alleviate the strain on vulnerable areas of the foot.
A Commitment to Life Through Limb Preservation
When stepping through the doors of Vital Foot & Ankle, patients can be assured of receiving an unprecedented level of care, where saving limbs and lives is not just a slogan, but a deeply entrenched mission. Our revolutionary approach to wound care is turning the tide against amputation—one healing step at a time.
