Our clinic

What does the clinic treat?

The Wound and Lymphedema Clinic at Dr. Govindan's Hospital treats:

• Diabetic foot ulcers
• Pressure sores (bedsores)
• Wounds that do not heal and chronic wounds
• Lymphedema (long-lasting swelling of an arm or leg)
• Burn scars
• Ingrowing toenails
• Hand problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome and Dupuytren's disease

What happens at the first visit?

The doctor will ask about your problem, your health and your medicines, and examine you. He may ask for blood tests or scans. Then he will explain your choices, so you and your family can decide together.

Not everyone needs the same treatment. Treatment depends on the cause of the wound or swelling, and on your general health.

What treatments are available?

Without surgery

• Wound dressings
• Compression therapy, exercises and decongestive therapy for lymphedema
• Advice on foot care, skin care and footwear

Small procedures, usually with local anaesthetic

• Debridement (cleaning away dead tissue from a wound)
• Special dressings

Most people go home the same day.

Operations in the hospital

• Skin grafting
• Local flaps (moving nearby healthy skin to cover a wound)
• Surgical offloading (an operation to take pressure off an area where ulcers keep forming)

Some of these need a short stay in hospital.

If you need treatment from another specialist, such as a vascular surgeon for poor blood flow, we will refer you.

Why come to a wound clinic?

Wound care and lymphedema care try to do two things: help the wound or skin heal, and help you use your arm, leg, hand or foot normally again. Both matter for getting back to your daily life.

It helps to talk about your problem with a close friend or family member. Family support makes treatment and recovery easier.