He tried to hide it, but the blood just wouldn't stop. In the process of taking off his sock one night in June, 2006, Bryan Moss had exposed a two-month old staph infection wound along with a broken blood vessel. After repeated attempts to stop the flow, Moss, a Valencia resident, finally called out to his wife.

"I told her, you better come and help me. I started to panic," he recalled. "I was bleeding like a stuck pig."

Initially taken to Henry Mayo's Emergency Department, Moss was referred for follow-up visits to the Wound Care Center ®. Located on the hospital campus, the Wound Care Center ® specializes in the healing of chronic wounds and non-healing ulcers such as those resulting from diabetes, venous stasis, ischemia, pressure, collagen vascular disease, burns, and bites.

A chronic wound, which is defined as a wound that has not healed significantly in four weeks or completely in eight weeks, can be challenging for patient and physician alike. "Chronic wounds are very difficult to treat. Because of poor blood and nerve supply, they're likely to get infected and don't heal very well," said Vinod Assomull, M.D., internist and consulting nephrologist at Henry Mayo.

Part of the Wound Care Centers, Inc. network, Henry Mayo's Wound Care Center ® has access to the latest information on products and advanced treatment strategies, including data on over 1 million wounds nationwide from their Medilink database. The result? A 93 percent healing rate for patients who complete treatment.

Staffed with four doctors, one R.N. clinical manager, a medical assistant, and a program director, the Wound Care Center ® opened in December, 2003. According to Kim Platzer, program director, wounds are measured at every visit and are expected to reduce by 60 percent after four weeks. "If we don't see the expected reductions in volume, we aggressively seek the answer," Platzer said.

Physicians at the Wound Care Cente ® follow a proven clinical pathway that starts with a general and medical history and typically involves weekly appointments until resolution. Ancillary tests such as dopplers, labs, or x-rays may also be used to identify particular areas of concern.

Contrary to popular belief, wounds should not be allowed to dry out and scab. Preventing the wound from drying out provides three major benefits: faster healing, less scarring, and reduced pain. At the Wound Care Center ®, dead skin is removed by a physician through debridement, which, coupled with special dressing and bandages, allows for an optimal healing environment.

Patients are taught about pressure relief, as well as how to make dressing changes and protect the wound from injury. This approach makes a huge difference to those Dr. Assomull refers to the Wound Care Center ®. "They really spend the time to talk to patients, to help them understand the nature of their problem and participate in the process of healing their wounds. This helps with attaining a high percentage of positive results," Assomull said.

With a regimen of antibiotics, weekly visits, and frequent dressing changes, Moss noticed a dramatic difference within the desired time frame. "My wound just started shrinking. Eventually, we were down to just putting Band-Aids on my leg," Moss said. His last appointment was in October.

Wound Care Center® is located at 23845 McBean Parkway, Building E, Suite 15, Valencia. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 253-8458 or visit www.henrymayo.com