PARK RIDGE, Ill. – The Illinois branch of the Ukrainian Medical Association of North America (UMANA) convened at the Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Ill., to hear Bohdan Iwanetz, M.D., present his experience in treating chronic wounds with hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Dr. Iwanetz described the mechanism of healing difficult wounds using oxygen under pressure in a confined chamber. This method supplements the natural healing tendency of the human body and facilitates improvement in the efficiency of the body’s own immune system in fighting off bacteria while providing a crucial element needed in wound closure and scar formation.
At the conclusion of his presentation, which took place on April 19, attendees were treated to a tour of the multi-patient hyperbaric chamber currently used at the Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, the only unit in the state that can treat up to 12 patients simultaneously. Registered respiratory therapist and chamber director Daniel Mazzolini Jr. cheerfully answered questions from the group and recounted the 40-year history of the development of Lutheran General’s hyperbaric unit.
Dr. Iwanetz, a Cook County Hospital-trained general surgeon, is the director of the Hyperbaric Unit and Wound Care Clinic at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Ill., and has served as treasurer and president of the national office of UMANA in past years. He continues to be an active member and remains involved both at the local as well as national level.
The group of nearly 40 members and guests were welcomed by the president of UMANA Illinois, Dr. Arkadiush Byskosh, and enjoyed a delicious lunch in the scenic reception area outside of the Olson Auditorium. The group represented a wide swath of branch membership, including physicians, dentists, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, residents and students.
The members continued their professional and social discussions after the repast, enjoying the regular quarterly get-together of their colleagues and guests. For further information about upcoming events, readers may call UMANA, 773-278-6262.