If you or a loved one have a severe, non-healing wound, a doctor might recommend a Wound Vac (also known as Negative Pressure Wound Therapy or NPWT). But how does a wound vac actually work, and why can it sometimes be painful?

In this video, hosts Kim Cantwell-Opazo and Dr. Michael Devine break down everything you need to know about negative pressure wound therapy with guest surgeons Dr. Brett Freedman and Dr. Michael Schuler from Clear Choice Therapeutics.

You'll learn how traditional wound vacs use black foam under suction, why high suction pressure can sometimes push down on the wound and reduce blood flow (the "Perfusion Paradox"), and how new clear, polymer-based dressings like PREVENT™ are changing wound care to make healing faster, cleaner, and much less painful! 💡 What You'll Learn: 


What is a Wound Vac? How suction helps pull fluid away and close deep wounds.


The Blood Flow Danger: How high suction with traditional black foam can act like a tourniquet and cut off blood circulation to fragile tissue.


Pain & Odor Concerns: Why traditional foam causes pain during dressing changes (tissue growing into foam) and how new clear dressings prevent it.


Advancements in Healing: How lower suction and clear materials help doctors see the wound without taking the bandage off.


PAD Support Hotline: Call our dedicated support line at 1-833-PAD-LEGS to speak with a specialist about peripheral artery disease, limb salvage, and wound care options.


Join the Patient Registry: Help us advance care and save limbs by enrolling in our registry: PADpatientRegistry.org


Explore Clinical Trials: Find active clinical trials for PAD and advanced wound care at PADtrials.org


Start Walking for Health: Take control of your vascular health today with our structured exercise initiative at https://padwalkingprogram.org

#WoundCare #LimbSalvage #PeripheralArteryDisease #NPWT #WoundVac #MedicalInnovation #VascularHealth #DrMichaelDevine #HeartOfInnovation

If you or a loved one have a severe, non-healing wound, a doctor might recommend a Wound Vac (also known as Negative Pressure Wound Therapy or NPWT). But how does a wound vac actually work, and why can it sometimes be painful? In this video, hosts Kim Cantwell-Opazo and Dr. Michael Devine break down everything you need to know about negative pressure wound therapy with guest surgeons Dr. Brett Freedman and Dr. Michael Schuler from Clear Choice Therapeutics. You'll learn how traditional wound vacs use black foam under suction, why high suction pressure can sometimes push down on the wound and reduce blood flow (the "Perfusion Paradox"), and how new clear, polymer-based dressings like PREVENT™ are changing wound care to make healing faster, cleaner, and much less painful! 💡 What You'll Learn: <ul> <li> What is a Wound Vac? How suction helps pull fluid away and close deep wounds. </li> <li> The Blood Flow Danger: How high suction with traditional black foam can act like a tourniquet and cut off blood circulation to fragile tissue. </li> <li> Pain & Odor Concerns: Why traditional foam causes pain during dressing changes (tissue growing into foam) and how new clear dressings prevent it. </li> <li> Advancements in Healing: How lower suction and clear materials help doctors see the wound without taking the bandage off. </li> </ul> <ul> <li> PAD Support Hotline: Call our dedicated support line at 1-833-PAD-LEGS to speak with a specialist about peripheral artery disease, limb salvage, and wound care options. </li> <li> Join the Patient Registry: Help us advance care and save limbs by enrolling in our registry: PADpatientRegistry.org </li> <li> Explore Clinical Trials: Find active clinical trials for PAD and advanced wound care at PADtrials.org </li> <li> Start Walking for Health: Take control of your vascular health today with our structured exercise initiative at <a class="x_gmail-ng-star-inserted" title="https://www.google.com/search?q=https://padwalkingprogram.org" href="https://www.google.com/search?q=https://padwalkingprogram.org" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="5">https://padwalkingprogram.org</a> </li> </ul> #WoundCare #LimbSalvage #PeripheralArteryDisease #NPWT #WoundVac #MedicalInnovation #VascularHealth #DrMichaelDevine #HeartOfInnovation

All of us have the power to create change. The advances in technology are now such that if you have an idea, it’s easier than ever to execute on it. “Kym McNicholas On Innovation” shares the journeys of successful entrepreneurs, innovators, and investors from around the world who will inspire you to create your own financial independence. The show also features some of the most advanced technologies you’ve never heard of that could be have an impact on your life, your business, and your career. 

Regular featured segments include “The Edge” which highlights businesses that are game-changing in the enterprise. Plus, each week in “HealthTech”, you’ll hear about a company that’s creating better, safer, faster, and cheaper technologies that will improve patient care and lower costs. And in our “Female Seeking Startup” series hear the success stories of some of the most powerful women who are creating game-changing technologies.

Produced and Published by The Innovators Network (http://TheInnovators.Network)

The Heart of Innovation with Kym McNicholas

The Heart of Innovation is 60 minutes with life and limb saving potential. Emmy Award-winning Journalist and Patient Navigator Kym McNicholas and Interventional Cardiologist Dr. John Phillips discuss new exciting ideas and innovation in healthcare. They tackle some of the greatest barriers to timely, effective patient care and discuss solutions with physicians, clinicians, policy makers, and most importantly, patients.

The Heart of Innovation is 60 minutes with life and limb saving potential. Emmy Award-winning Journalist and Patient Navigator Kym McNicholas and Interventional Cardiologist Dr. John Phillips discuss new exciting ideas and innovation in healthcare. They tackle some of the greatest barriers to timely, effective patient care and discuss solutions with physicians, clinicians, policy makers, and most importantly, patients.

The Heart of Innovation

How This New Wound Care Tech Heals Wounds Faster With Less Pain

What does "standard hospital care" actually mean? What rights do you have as a patient? And what should you know before you or someone you love is discharged or transferred from a hospital?

I'm joined by Gayle Nash, President and CEO of Nash Healthcare Consulting, to take us behind the scenes of the hospital system and explain things most patients and families are never taught.

Gayle brings decades of experience in healthcare. She began her career as a nurse, went on to serve in hospital leadership as a Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Quality Officer, spent 13 years as a Joint Commission nurse surveyor, and has experience surveying for CMS. Today, she works with hospitals and healthcare organizations preparing for accreditation surveys.

We talk about:

• What hospital accreditation actually means • What The Joint Commission Gold Seal does and does not tell you • How accreditation relates to Medicare requirements • What surveyors look at inside a hospital • What "standard of care" means from a hospital quality and compliance perspective • Patient rights inside the hospital • Healthcare Power of Attorney, advance directives, living wills and POLST/MOST forms • What patients and families should understand about discharge planning • Transfers to skilled nursing, rehabilitation, hospice, nursing homes or home • What to do when you don't believe a discharge or transfer plan is safe • Who to talk to inside the hospital when you have concerns • Patient Relations, Quality, Risk Management, case management and ethics • What patients and caregivers can do before a problem happens

Gayle also shares experiences from her years in nursing and hospital quality that help connect all of those rules and regulations back to the person who matters most: the patient.

My goal with this conversation is simple. I want patients and families to better understand how hospitals work, what questions they can ask, and how to advocate for themselves when they're making difficult decisions.

Need help navigating Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) or facing a possible amputation? Call the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS

Subscribe to @TheWayToMyHeart for more conversations focused on helping patients become better informed and better advocates for their care.

#PatientRights #HospitalCare #PatientAdvocacy #HospitalDischarge #Healthcare #Medicare #JointCommission #AdvanceDirective #PowerOfAttorney #PatientSafety

What does "standard hospital care" actually mean? What rights do you have as a patient? And what should you know before you or someone you love is discharged or transferred from a hospital? I'm joined by Gayle Nash, President and CEO of Nash Healthcare Consulting, to take us behind the scenes of the hospital system and explain things most patients and families are never taught. Gayle brings decades of experience in healthcare. She began her career as a nurse, went on to serve in hospital leadership as a Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Quality Officer, spent 13 years as a Joint Commission nurse surveyor, and has experience surveying for CMS. Today, she works with hospitals and healthcare organizations preparing for accreditation surveys. We talk about: • What hospital accreditation actually means • What The Joint Commission Gold Seal does and does not tell you • How accreditation relates to Medicare requirements • What surveyors look at inside a hospital • What "standard of care" means from a hospital quality and compliance perspective • Patient rights inside the hospital • Healthcare Power of Attorney, advance directives, living wills and POLST/MOST forms • What patients and families should understand about discharge planning • Transfers to skilled nursing, rehabilitation, hospice, nursing homes or home • What to do when you don't believe a discharge or transfer plan is safe • Who to talk to inside the hospital when you have concerns • Patient Relations, Quality, Risk Management, case management and ethics • What patients and caregivers can do before a problem happens Gayle also shares experiences from her years in nursing and hospital quality that help connect all of those rules and regulations back to the person who matters most: the patient. My goal with this conversation is simple. I want patients and families to better understand how hospitals work, what questions they can ask, and how to advocate for themselves when they're making difficult decisions. Need help navigating Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) or facing a possible amputation? Call the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline: 1-833-PAD-LEGS Subscribe to @TheWayToMyHeart for more conversations focused on helping patients become better informed and better advocates for their care. #PatientRights #HospitalCare #PatientAdvocacy #HospitalDischarge #Healthcare #Medicare #JointCommission #AdvanceDirective #PowerOfAttorney #PatientSafety

Hospital Standard of Care Discussed

What do you do when your doctors tell you to "just lose weight and walk"… but don't tell you how?

In this episode of The Heart of Innovation, Dr. John Phillips and I welcome Larry Dewdad, a lifelong entertainer, comedian, trade show speaker, and television personality, who found himself facing a challenge millions living with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) know all too well.

Leg pain. Cramping. Poor circulation. Neuropathy. Cold feet. Walking that became harder every single week.

At one point, it took Larry 16 minutes just to walk around his block.

Instead of giving up, he developed his own personal training program. What makes his story so fascinating is that, without realizing it, much of what he figured out aligns with today's supervised exercise therapy (SET) and PAD walking guidelines designed to stimulate the growth of natural bypass arteries, known as collateral circulation.

Today, Larry is walking farther, walking faster, and has lost weight along the way.

In this conversation, we discuss:

✔ How Larry built his walking program from scratch ✔ Why pushing through claudication pain (safely) matters for many PAD patients ✔ How the body can develop natural bypass arteries through collateral circulation ✔ The role of weight loss in improving mobility and overall health ✔ Why consistency beats intensity ✔ Practical tips anyone with PAD can begin discussing with their healthcare team

If you've been told there's "nothing else you can do," or you've wondered whether exercise can really improve circulation, Larry's story may change the way you think about living with Peripheral Artery Disease.

If you or someone you love has PAD, don't face it alone.

☎ Call the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline for education, support, and help finding specialists: 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347)

🔬 Looking for the latest clinical trials? Visit: https://www.padtrials.org

🚶 Ready to start a structured PAD walking program? Join the Global PAD Association's free PAD Walking Program: https://www.thewaytomyheart.org/pad-walking-program

❤️ Subscribe for more conversations with the innovators, physicians, researchers, and patients changing the future of cardiovascular care: https://www.youtube.com/@TheWayToMyHeart

If Larry's journey inspired you, please: 👍 Like this video 💬 Share your experience in the comments 📤 Share this episode with someone struggling to walk because of PAD 🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode.

#PeripheralArteryDisease #PAD #LegPain #PoorCirculation #WalkingProgram #PADAwareness #CollateralCirculation #HeartHealth #PeripheralArterialDisease #VascularHealth #Claudication #ExerciseMedicine #WeightLoss #HeartOfInnovation #TheWayToMyHeart

What do you do when your doctors tell you to "just lose weight and walk"… but don't tell you how? In this episode of The Heart of Innovation, Dr. John Phillips and I welcome Larry Dewdad, a lifelong entertainer, comedian, trade show speaker, and television personality, who found himself facing a challenge millions living with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) know all too well. Leg pain. Cramping. Poor circulation. Neuropathy. Cold feet. Walking that became harder every single week. At one point, it took Larry 16 minutes just to walk around his block. Instead of giving up, he developed his own personal training program. What makes his story so fascinating is that, without realizing it, much of what he figured out aligns with today's supervised exercise therapy (SET) and PAD walking guidelines designed to stimulate the growth of natural bypass arteries, known as collateral circulation. Today, Larry is walking farther, walking faster, and has lost weight along the way. In this conversation, we discuss: ✔ How Larry built his walking program from scratch ✔ Why pushing through claudication pain (safely) matters for many PAD patients ✔ How the body can develop natural bypass arteries through collateral circulation ✔ The role of weight loss in improving mobility and overall health ✔ Why consistency beats intensity ✔ Practical tips anyone with PAD can begin discussing with their healthcare team If you've been told there's "nothing else you can do," or you've wondered whether exercise can really improve circulation, Larry's story may change the way you think about living with Peripheral Artery Disease. If you or someone you love has PAD, don't face it alone. ☎ Call the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline for education, support, and help finding specialists: 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347) 🔬 Looking for the latest clinical trials? Visit: <a title="https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.padtrials.org&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1788382380000000&usg=AOvVaw1GHVN7PB1AFfF4-pCEbNhK" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.padtrials.org&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1788382380000000&usg=AOvVaw1GHVN7PB1AFfF4-pCEbNhK" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="4">https://www.padtrials.org</a> 🚶 Ready to start a structured PAD walking program? Join the Global PAD Association's free PAD Walking Program: <a title="https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thewaytomyheart.org%2Fpad-walking-program&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1788382380000000&usg=AOvVaw02SfWr4jKa8SSlNt2GOiXj" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thewaytomyheart.org%2Fpad-walking-program&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1788382380000000&usg=AOvVaw02SfWr4jKa8SSlNt2GOiXj" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="5">https://www.thewaytomyheart.org/pad-walking-program</a> ❤️ Subscribe for more conversations with the innovators, physicians, researchers, and patients changing the future of cardiovascular care: <a>https://www.youtube.com/@TheWayToMyHeart</a> If Larry's journey inspired you, please: 👍 Like this video 💬 Share your experience in the comments 📤 Share this episode with someone struggling to walk because of PAD 🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss a new episode. #PeripheralArteryDisease #PAD #LegPain #PoorCirculation #WalkingProgram #PADAwareness #CollateralCirculation #HeartHealth #PeripheralArterialDisease #VascularHealth #Claudication #ExerciseMedicine #WeightLoss #HeartOfInnovation #TheWayToMyHeart

How I Built My Own PAD Training Plan

One of the hardest sentences a patient can hear is, "There are no more options." Every week through the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline, I hear from people living with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) and Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (CLTI) who have been told amputation may be their only path forward. Those conversations are exactly why we created the Global PAD Impact Awards. These awards recognize physicians, researchers, healthcare teams, innovators, and advocates whose impact is measured not only by what they accomplish in medicine, but by the hope they bring to patients and families facing some of life's most difficult moments. It is my honor to recognize Dr. Miguel Manzur as the recipient of the inaugural America's Vascular Surgeon of the Year Award. Patients consistently describe Dr. Manzur as a physician who combines extraordinary technical skill with humility, compassion, and a willingness to explore every appropriate option before accepting defeat. In our conversation, we discuss complex limb salvage, Peripheral Artery Disease, Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia, vascular surgery, and what every patient should know when they're told there are no more treatment options. My hope is that this conversation not only celebrates Dr. Manzur, but helps patients better understand their disease, ask better questions, and recognize that every case deserves thoughtful evaluation. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), don't ignore symptoms like leg pain while walking, non-healing wounds, or changes in the color or temperature of your feet. Early diagnosis and treatment can help save limbs and save lives. Subscribe for future Global PAD Impact Awards and conversations dedicated to improving care for patients around the world. Disclaimer The Global PAD Impact Awards are based on patient nominations and the experiences shared with the Global PAD Association. They are intended to recognize contributions to PAD care and should not be considered an endorsement of any physician, healthcare organization, product, device, or therapy. Every patient's medical situation is unique, and outcomes can vary. Always discuss your individual condition and treatment options with your own healthcare team. If you'd like help understanding your diagnosis or exploring whether a second opinion may be appropriate for your specific presentation of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), contact the Global PAD Association's free Leg Saver Hotline at 1-833-PAD-LEGS. Topics covered: Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (CLTI), vascular surgery, women in vascular medicine, limb preservation, limb salvage, patient-centered care, multidisciplinary care, medical leadership, patient advocacy, second opinions, Venita Chandra, Global PAD Association, Global PAD Impact Awards. 🎙️ JOIN THE CONVERSATION We want to hear from you! To join our live studio audience and speak with Kym and Douglas: 📧 Email: info@padhelp.org for the link. 🆘 THE LEG SAVER HOTLINE Need immediate support or want to join our FREE Walking Program? 📞 Call: 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347) 🌐 THE PAD RESOURCE HUB Official Website: padhelp.org Latest Clinical Trials: padtrials.org Private Facebook Group: padsupportgroup.org #PeripheralArteryDisease #PAD #CLTI #VascularSurgery #LimbSalvage #MiguelManzur #GlobalPADImpactAwards #PatientAdvocacy #AmputationPrevention #CriticalLimbIschemia

One of the hardest sentences a patient can hear is, "There are no more options." Every week through the Global PAD Association's Leg Saver Hotline, I hear from people living with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) and Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (CLTI) who have been told amputation may be their only path forward. Those conversations are exactly why we created the Global PAD Impact Awards. These awards recognize physicians, researchers, healthcare teams, innovators, and advocates whose impact is measured not only by what they accomplish in medicine, but by the hope they bring to patients and families facing some of life's most difficult moments. It is my honor to recognize Dr. Miguel Manzur as the recipient of the inaugural America's Vascular Surgeon of the Year Award. Patients consistently describe Dr. Manzur as a physician who combines extraordinary technical skill with humility, compassion, and a willingness to explore every appropriate option before accepting defeat. In our conversation, we discuss complex limb salvage, Peripheral Artery Disease, Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia, vascular surgery, and what every patient should know when they're told there are no more treatment options. My hope is that this conversation not only celebrates Dr. Manzur, but helps patients better understand their disease, ask better questions, and recognize that every case deserves thoughtful evaluation. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), don't ignore symptoms like leg pain while walking, non-healing wounds, or changes in the color or temperature of your feet. Early diagnosis and treatment can help save limbs and save lives. Subscribe for future Global PAD Impact Awards and conversations dedicated to improving care for patients around the world. Disclaimer The Global PAD Impact Awards are based on patient nominations and the experiences shared with the Global PAD Association. They are intended to recognize contributions to PAD care and should not be considered an endorsement of any physician, healthcare organization, product, device, or therapy. Every patient's medical situation is unique, and outcomes can vary. Always discuss your individual condition and treatment options with your own healthcare team. If you'd like help understanding your diagnosis or exploring whether a second opinion may be appropriate for your specific presentation of Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), contact the Global PAD Association's free Leg Saver Hotline at 1-833-PAD-LEGS. Topics covered: Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia (CLTI), vascular surgery, women in vascular medicine, limb preservation, limb salvage, patient-centered care, multidisciplinary care, medical leadership, patient advocacy, second opinions, Venita Chandra, Global PAD Association, Global PAD Impact Awards. 🎙️ JOIN THE CONVERSATION We want to hear from you! To join our live studio audience and speak with Kym and Douglas: 📧 Email: <a title="mailto:info@padhelp.org" href="mailto:info@padhelp.org" data-linkindex="3">info@padhelp.org</a> for the link. 🆘 THE LEG SAVER HOTLINE Need immediate support or want to join our FREE Walking Program? 📞 Call: 1-833-PAD-LEGS (1-833-723-5347) 🌐 THE PAD RESOURCE HUB Official Website: <a title="https://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpadhelp.org&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1786906020000000&usg=AOvVaw1htx-NEi9vvQP1Uou14saK" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpadhelp.org&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1786906020000000&usg=AOvVaw1htx-NEi9vvQP1Uou14saK" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="4">padhelp.org</a> Latest Clinical Trials: <a title="https://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpadtrials.org&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1786906020000000&usg=AOvVaw0VLjGhWxTh4yNxDVnlyILq" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpadtrials.org&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1786906020000000&usg=AOvVaw0VLjGhWxTh4yNxDVnlyILq" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="5">padtrials.org</a> Private Facebook Group: <a title="https://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpadsupportgroup.org&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1786906020000000&usg=AOvVaw0IMWZ9TfIWRxsUiOkLMMkM" href="https://www.google.com/url?q=http%3A%2F%2Fpadsupportgroup.org&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1786906020000000&usg=AOvVaw0IMWZ9TfIWRxsUiOkLMMkM" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="6">padsupportgroup.org</a> #PeripheralArteryDisease #PAD #CLTI #VascularSurgery #LimbSalvage #MiguelManzur #GlobalPADImpactAwards #PatientAdvocacy #AmputationPrevention #CriticalLimbIschemia

How This New Wound Care Tech Heals Wounds Faster With Less Pain

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