Treating Radiation Wounds

Radiation-Induced Injuries

Even with advances in the development of radiation therapy, approximately 5% of patients will experience complications from radiation exposure. Radiation causes injury to soft tissue and bone, leading to hypoxic and/or avascular tissue necrosis. This results in degeneration of blood vessels that continues throughout the patient’s life. Patients experiencing this type soft tissue or bone damage generally present with painful, progressive, and often disabling tissue breakdown.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Improves Radiation Injury Outcomes

Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) is one of the most studied therapies in the treatment of delayed radiation injuries. There are three key beneficial effects of hyperbaric oxygen in the treatment of irradiated tissue:

• Stimulates angiogenesis, or formation of new blood cells, by creating oxygen gradients in wound tissue
• Improves tissue oxygenation (additional oxygen in the body)
• Decreases fibrosis (hardening or overgrowth) of tissue

The goal of HBO treatment is to provide adequate granulation to support healing.

Blood Vessel Regeneration

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy forces more oxygen into the tissue, encouraging the formation of new blood vessels. As these new blood vessels develop, the red blood cells start to flow, delivering even more oxygen to the affected area. This creates the optimal environment for the body’s natural healing processes to repair damaged tissue.

The Methodist Wound Treatment Center is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on the campus of Methodist Medical Center, and is conveniently located to Knoxville. The Wound Treatment Center is an outpatient program that focuses on chronic and non-healing wounds. Using advanced treatment modalities and a case management model, we help patients improve the quality of their lives.