JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
The 59th Medical Wing is home to the Joint Base San Antonio Laser Surgery and Scar Center, one of the most sophisticated medical treatment centers of its kind in the nation.
Located at the Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, this state-of-the-art clinic functions within the Brooke Army Medical Center’s Department of Dermatology to provide world-class medical and surgical care for diseases of the skin, hair, and nails for active duty service members, dependents, and military retirees.
The JBSA Laser Surgery and Scar Center offers a wide range of procedural capabilities with one of the largest collections of laser and energy-based devices in the country. While the center offers an extensive array of treatment options for a myriad of dermatologic conditions, the Laser Surgery and Scar Center specializes in optimizing the care and management of trauma and burn scars, residual limbs, and other skin diseases in the wounded warrior population.
Also located at BAMC, the Center for the Intrepid has championed a multidisciplinary approach to rehabilitation for the wounded warrior population, particularly those with traumatic lower extremity amputations requiring prostheses. Unfortunately, dermatologic issues including excessive sweating, itching, discomfort, skin infections, and irritation can limit the use of these life-changing prostheses and detract from patient satisfaction.
However, Maj. Nathanial Miletta, chief of the JBSA Laser Surgery and Scar Center, and his colleagues demonstrated in 2016 that the use of laser hair removal at the residual limb-prosthetic interface markedly improved the health-related quality of life in the wounded warrior population.
Coupled with the use of botulinum toxin for local sweat reduction, laser hair removal now functions as a minimally-invasive and safe option for wounded warriors to help maintain their prosthesis use and functionality.
The JBSA Laser Surgery and Scar Center also utilizes an advanced approach to the treatment of patients with significant burn and trauma scars. Whereas traditional therapy for scars involves extensive surgical interventions, Miletta, Col. (Dr.) Chad Hivnor, and retired Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Bart Iddins, 59th MDW dermatologists, utilize an innovative combination of laser surgery, pharmacotherapy, and minor tissue-conserving surgery that can be tailored to each individual patient in a cost-effective manner.
As hypertrophic scarring represents a significant source of morbidity in the general population as well, the broader application of this multimodal methodology has the potential to maximize the long-term aesthetic, functional, and symptomatic outcomes for both civilian and military patients in need moving forward.
Ongoing research collaborations with world-class academic institutions, including the Shriners’ Hospital for Burn Care – Boston, the Wellman Center for Photomedicine – Harvard Medical School, and the United States Army Institute of Surgical Research Burn Center – BAMC, aim to forge new frontiers in scientific discovery and application to ensure the absolute best care is provided to our patients each day.
While simultaneously offering the aforementioned cutting-edge diagnostic and treatment techniques, the JBSA Laser Surgery and Scar Center partners with the San Antonio Uniformed Services Health Education Consortium Dermatology Residency Program.
The joint service graduate medical education program, led by program director Lt. Col. Wendi Wohltmann, is comprised of 21 dermatology resident physicians and 13 board-certified dermatologist staff members.
The JBSA Laser Surgery and Scar Center seeks to equip and train the next generation of military physicians to effectively deliver outstanding dermatologic care to our patients around the globe.