Widespread coverage of the
Georgia woman battling a
necrotizing infection in an
Augusta hospital has led health journalists across the country in search of the local angle. Of most interest: Doctors report an unusually high number of cases recently at
Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. Hyperbaric medical director Dr Jeff Cooper said his center has treated six patients with necrotizing fasciitis, or soft tissue infections caused by flesh-eating bacteria, in just the last month or so. He cannot account for the sharp increase but briefly explained to Omaha.com how hyperbaric oxygen works against the disease:
Cooper said hyperbaric oxygen therapy is an important part of treating
the disease. “It forces oxygen into areas that aren't getting adequate
oxygen because of the tissue damage and swelling,” he said. “This
revives the immune system locally and causes the antibiotics to work
more effectively.”
Today the medical center is holding a press conference on the subject. More on the web at
WOWT Channel 6 and the
Omaha World-Herald.
[Photo: Nebraska Medical Center]
