Augusta, GA

Augusta burn center is first ever to use new skin cell technology

Published

7 months ago

June 14, 2024

Augusta burn center is first ever to use new skin cell technology

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The JMS Burn Center is the first in the world to use a new regenerating skin cell technology to help burn and wound patients.

When wounds don’t close on their own, doctors usually use a skin graft to close them. It’s a piece from a patient’s body that is not affected by a burn.

RECELL GO uses technology that allows doctors to spray your own healthy skin cells on your wound or on top of an expanded skin graft.

The system is designed to treat burns and full-thickness wounds.

The technology sets itself apart from past methods by using less of a patient’s own skin cells and automating the process, and improving efficiency in the operating room.

This gives doctors more time to focus on patient care.

It also uses a significantly less amount of donor skin, resulting in less pain for patients.

Patients experience two times greater healing with RECELL GO, along with less scarring.

All of this means less time spent in the hospital.

“What we want to do is just be able to provide the best care to our patients, and take them from something that can be sometimes devastating to bring in a patient not only through the burn but bringing it back and having a good quality of life,” said Dr. Shawn Fagan, JMS Chief Medical Officer.

He also says this can be used for any type of wound or burn, regardless of size.

“We care for a large amount of smaller burns, and smaller burns are just as important as the larger burns in terms of attaining closure and controlling that discomfort afterward,” said Fagan.

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The technology will be used daily. The first procedure was done on May 31, and 11 procedures have been done since then, helping heal seven patients overall.

Dr. Nraj Doshi, the principal inventor of RECELL GO, hopes to see this technology implemented across the country.

“The whole point of us developing so that it’s automated, is the fact that it becomes a lot easier to adopt across hospitals in the U.S,” said Doshi.

Initial concepts for the system began just three years ago. Now, the JMS Burn Center has 16 units.

Each unit can be used up to 200 times, helping hundreds of patients right here in the CSRA.

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Augusta, GA

Winter weather causes crashes across CSRA on slick roads

Published

3 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

Winter weather causes crashes across CSRA on slick roads

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Multiple cars crashed due to winter weather conditions on I-20 in the CSRA early Friday morning, according to authorities.

On I-20 in Augusta, the road conditions at the Washington Road exit were hazardous, according to our reporter on the interstate.

Our reporter saw another wreck on the Bobby Jones overpass from I-520 to I-20 at 10:35 a.m. We’ve reached out to learn more.

Across the river, on I-20 westbound just before mile marker 4, multiple vehicles were pulled over after a car carrier crash around 10 a.m. in Aiken County.

On I-20 westbound just before mile marker 4, multiple vehicles were pulled over after a car carrier crash around 10 a.m. in Aiken County.

We have reached out to learn more.

Dispatch told us crews were on the scene of a multiple-car crash on I-20 eastbound at the Walton Way extension ramp at 9:25 a.m.

Officials say at least two vehicles were involved, but more were reported, and they are unsure how many exactly.

They did however say more vehicles became involved after sliding on the road from weather conditions.

Dispatch says they are unsure of any injuries or if any lanes were blocked.

Augusta, GA

Wayfair Outlet store opens at the Augusta Exchange

Published

11 hours ago

January 10, 2025

Press Room

Wayfair Outlet store opens at the Augusta Exchange

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The new Wayfair outlet is now open at the Augusta Exchange.

You will be able to find furniture and home décor at the location that used to be a Buy Buy Baby store.

It’s the latest store to open in the Augusta area.

One customer we spoke with says he thinks the store will be here for a while as it brings something different to the area.

“People are here spending money and they are here to make their house look better. I never thought I would be a dude in his 40s in an outlet, me in an outlet. But I did it today and I think it’s good,” said Carlton Ferguson.

It’s welcome news for fans of the Augusta Exchange, which has seen a bevy of closures in the past couple of years, including Subway, Genghis Grill, O’Charley’s, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Buy Buy Baby and Christmas Tree Shops.

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Augusta, GA

Augusta takes step to hire full time EMA Director

Published

20 hours ago

January 9, 2025

Press Room

Augusta takes step to hire full time EMA Director

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – There can be big time disaster emergencies in Augusta, but an emergency management director is not a full-time position for the city.

“I think lessons learned from Hurricane Helene, we desperately need it as we try to recover our city as we try to prepare from the next storm,” said Mayor Garnett Johnson.

The consolidation bill gives the mayor the authority to name an EMA director.

But for the last 20 years, the mayors have called on the fire chief to pull double duty while getting supplement pay.

But at the Mayor Johnson’s request, commissioners have approved beginning the process to hire a full time EMA director.

“You want to make sure that when disasters come, we are 100 percent fully prepared,” said Commissioner Stacy Pulliam.

“A city our size deserves someone who is full time committed to that role that helps with our storm preparedness,” said Mayor Johnson.

But when commissioners approved this year’s budget in November, funding for a new EMA director was not a part of it.

“You talking about cutting budgets but yet you’re talking about increasing personnel. It comes with a cost,” said Commissioner Tony Lewis.

“It will pay for itself as we go through this recovery for Hurricane Helene, as we try to see out grant opportunities and funding opportunities for reimbursement,” said the Mayor.

For sure the city has not seen its last emergency, now the city is seeking a permanent director to manage it.

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