Josefia: A Healing Experience

Josefia was admitted to Kindred Hospital San Diego on February 18 for continued treatment of a recurrent large necrotic abcess to her left upper back. She had a medical history of depression as well as abcesses which were found to be positive for methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus and diabetes mellitus. The latter two diagnoses would make wound healing a special challenge for this patient and the wound care team.

Josefia underwent a wound debridement, and Wound Vac therapy was initiated to assist with promoting granulation tissue, wound closure and drainage control.

By March 3, her wound had healed to the degree that it could be treated with MIST Therapy, an innovative ultrasound device that utilizes ultrasonic sound waves to heal wounds. The therapy promotes healing through cellular stimulation while removing bacteria from the wound as ultrasound waves are transferred to the patient by way of a gentle mist of sterile saline to the wound bed. The process speeds healing without contact or pain to the patient.

The noncontact MIST Therapy is unique because the mist replaces the coupling gel that is required for all other forms of ultrasound such as fetal monitoring, sports medicine, and physical therapy.

The success of this treatment built Josefia’s confidence and gave her a sense of independence.

“I feel free and can move more easily,” Josefia told one of Kindred’s wound care specialists.

The MIST Therapy continued, as well as wound care which consisted of placing Puracol (a collagen-based wound care product) into the wound bed on treatment days, followed by secondary dressing. Within a few more days the wound had improved dramatically. The wound care team was proud of their progress.

Kindred Hospital San Diego’s success is apparent in stories like this as well as in our quality scores – our patients and families rate our quality of care at 91.4 percent and over 92 percent would recommend Kindred. Kindred Hospital San Diego is also the four-time recipient of the American Association for Respiratory Care's (AARC) Quality Respiratory Care Recognition (QRCR), based on strict safety and quality standards related to the provision of respiratory care services by qualified respiratory therapists.