Dr. Guy Photopolus with the Baptist Rehabilitation-Germantown Wound Prevention and Management Center has been performing advanced skin wound treatment procedures for several years with a bioengineered skin substitute called Apligraf to help treat patients with certain types of wounds.
Apligraf is a human living cell-based product for chronic leg ulcers and foot ulcers typically associated with diabetes mellitus and venous hypertension. Like human skin, Apligraf consists of living cells and structural proteins. Unlike normal human skin, Apligraf does not contain blood vessels, hair follicles, sweat glands or some types of cells.
“Apligraf provides depth to the wound and helps stimulate skin growth for healing,” explained Dr. Photopolus. “We have seen excellent results with this procedure.”
The typical Apligraf patient will be seen several times for advance wound healing to prepare the body for the Apligraf.
The Wound Prevention and Management Center at Baptist Rehab-Germantown uses methods that have proven effective in healing wounds, restoring function and preventing future wounds. In addition, it offers a comprehensive approach based on education and patient involvement and emphasizes nutrition and healthy habits.
Baptist Rehab-Germantown is a 50-bed inpatient rehabilitation facility, with 18 skilled inpatient beds, that offers a comprehensive array of inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation services designed to allow a patient’s complete course of care to take place under one roof. Baptist Rehab-Germantown concentrates on a variety of rehabilitation and diagnostic services, both inpatient and outpatient, to treat many types of injuries and conditions, such as stroke, arthritis, spine and back disorders and injuries, fractures, amputations, and spinal cord and head injuries. The hospital also offers an open MRI machine. For more information, please visit germantown.baptistonline.org.