Whether running her promotional items company, working with her husband’s business at events, or assisting at her grandchildren’s school, Joette Ewen is always on the go. So when treatment for a bunion on her left foot still left her hobbling, Joette opted for surgery.

Unfortunately, Joette’s wound became infected and would not heal properly. In March 2023, her primary care physician referred her to podiatrist Maureen Clinch, DPM, at Virtua’s wound care center in Mount Holly.

“Dr. Clinch told me I could have osteomyelitis, and that I could lose my foot—or my life. It was critical, and very scary,” said Joette. “But Dr. Clinch was so professional with me. The nurses were wonderful. They assured me they would do everything to save my foot.”

In the operating room, Dr. Clinch cleaned the 4-by-3-centimeter wound, applied synthetic skin grafts, and began intravenous antibiotics to treat the bone infection and start the healing process.

“I could touch the bone from the outside in,” said Dr. Clinch. “You don’t expect to see that in an otherwise healthy individual.”

Advanced Wound Treatments
For the next two months, Joette spent a good portion of her day on the road, going to Virtua’s infectious disease practice in Mount Laurel for infusions of high-dose antibiotics and then to the wound care center in Mount Holly. Unable to walk, she required a wheelchair to get around.

Center staff would take off the bandage, remove any dead skin, and reapply dressings. They also used negative pressure therapy, which utilizes suction from a machine to remove excess drainage from the wound and pull the edges together.

“Little by little, this horrible wound started to heal,” said Joette, of Medford.

An important part of Joette’s treatment was hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). Five days a week for eight weeks, Joette rested inside a clear, pressurized chamber breathing in 100% oxygen. During the two-hour sessions, Joette could listen to music, watch television, read, or sleep. She also could talk to the hyperbaric technician at any time.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is approved to treat several medical conditions, including wounds that haven’t healed in 30 days, diabetes-related wounds, bone infections, failed skin grafts, and tissue damage from radiation.

“The high concentration of oxygen works to kill the bacteria and helps to increase vascularity so the antibiotics have a better success rate of treating the infection,” said Dr. Clinch. “Patients who have hyperbaric oxygen as part of their treatment also have a significantly lower risk of having a reinfection.”

Outperforming Expectations
Following her 40th hyperbaric session, Joette rang the center’s bell to mark the completion of her wound treatment.

“Joette outperformed expectations, especially given from where her wound started. She went from an exposed bone to closure in an astronomically better time,” said Dr. Clinch. “It’s great for her, and makes me feel pretty good, too.”

Joette is grateful she did not have a condition that may have precluded her from hyperbaric treatments, including pulmonary disease, uncontrolled diabetes, or a seizure disorder. She thanks Dr. Clinch, infectious disease specialist John Peterson, MD, and the wound care team for getting her moving again.

“If it wasn’t for the Virtua Mount Holly wound center and the hyperbaric chamber, I don’t know where I’d be,” she said. “I am forever grateful to all the staff at Virtua who helped in my recovery.”

Expert Wound Healing Specialists Near You
To schedule an appointment at a Virtua Wound Center, call 609-914-6240 (Mount Holly), 856-247-7260 (Voorhees), or 609-835-5240 (Willingboro).