Wound Care and Ulcer Management
Chronic wounds and foot ulcers, especially in diabetic patients, require expert care. At Sunshine Foot & Ankle LLC, Dr. Jonathan Mollineda, DPM provides specialized wound care and ulcer management for patients in Lauderdale Lakes, Tamarac, Plantation, North Lauderdale, Lauderhill, and surrounding Broward County communities. We specialize in wound assessment, treatment, and ongoing management to promote healing and prevent complications.
What Is Podiatric Wound Care?
Wound care is a specialized area of podiatric medicine focused on treating non-healing or slow-healing wounds on the feet and lower extremities. These wounds are often caused by diabetes, poor circulation, peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage), or pressure from ill-fitting footwear. Without proper treatment, even a small foot wound can progress to a dangerous infection that may require hospitalization or amputation. Early, expert intervention is the key to preventing these outcomes.
Types of Wounds We Treat
Dr. Mollineda treats a wide range of foot and ankle wounds, including:
Diabetic foot ulcers -- the most common type of chronic foot wound, affecting up to 25% of people with diabetes during their lifetime. These ulcers typically form on the bottom of the foot and are often caused by neuropathy that prevents patients from feeling injuries as they develop.
Venous stasis ulcers -- caused by poor blood flow in the leg veins, usually appearing near the inner ankle or lower leg. These wounds tend to be shallow and irregularly shaped, and they require compression therapy and specialized wound care to heal.
Arterial (ischemic) ulcers -- resulting from reduced arterial blood flow to the feet and toes. These wounds are typically found on the toes, heels, or between the toes and can be very painful.
Pressure ulcers -- caused by prolonged pressure on bony areas of the foot, common in patients with limited mobility or those who are bedbound or wheelchair-bound.
Post-surgical wounds -- incisions from previous foot or ankle surgery that are not healing as expected and require additional wound management.
Traumatic wounds -- cuts, punctures, lacerations, or crush injuries to the feet and ankles that require professional treatment to heal safely.
Our Wound Care Services Include
Every wound care plan at Sunshine Foot & Ankle begins with a thorough evaluation and is tailored to each patient's unique needs:
Comprehensive wound assessment -- We measure wound size, depth, and tissue type to establish a baseline and carefully track healing progress at every visit.
Vascular and neurologic evaluations -- Testing blood flow (with Doppler ultrasound when needed) and nerve function to identify underlying conditions that may be preventing your wound from healing.
Debridement -- Careful removal of dead, damaged, or infected tissue to promote healthy tissue growth. Dr. Mollineda performs sharp debridement, enzymatic debridement, and autolytic debridement depending on the wound type and severity.
Advanced dressings and grafts -- Application of specialized wound dressings including hydrogels, foam dressings, alginate dressings, collagen wound matrices, and bioengineered skin substitutes when appropriate for complex wounds.
Infection control -- Prevention and treatment of wound infections using topical antimicrobials, oral antibiotics, or referral for IV antibiotics when necessary.
Pressure offloading -- Using custom orthotics, therapeutic shoes, total contact casts, or removable cast walkers to redistribute pressure away from the wound site and create the ideal conditions for healing.
Negative pressure wound therapy (wound VAC) -- For larger or more complex wounds, this advanced technology uses controlled suction to remove excess fluid, increase blood flow, and accelerate the body's natural healing process.
When Should You See a Podiatrist for a Wound?
Seek wound care right away if you notice any of these warning signs: a cut, sore, or blister on your foot that has not improved within one to two weeks; a wound that is getting larger, deeper, or more painful over time; redness, swelling, warmth, or pus draining from the wound area; a foul or unusual odor coming from the wound; you have diabetes and notice any foot wound, no matter how small it may seem; dark or discolored skin developing on your feet or toes; or fever, chills, or red streaks spreading from the wound.
Why Wound Care Matters
Untreated foot wounds can become life-threatening. Foot ulcers are responsible for more hospitalizations than any other complication of diabetes, and they precede the vast majority of diabetes-related lower extremity amputations. The good news is that with early intervention and expert wound care, most of these amputations are entirely preventable.
At Sunshine Foot & Ankle LLC, our goal is not only to heal your current wound but also to identify and address the underlying causes -- and to develop a personalized prevention plan so you can reduce your risk of future wounds and protect your long-term foot health.
Insurance and Medicare Coverage
Most wound care services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and major private insurance plans. Sunshine Foot & Ankle LLC accepts a wide range of insurance providers, including Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, United Healthcare (Medicaid), and many more. If you have questions about your coverage for wound care treatment, please call our office at (754) 296-5900 and our team will be happy to help.