Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBO) is a medical treatment administered by delivering 100 percent oxygen at pressures greater than atmospheric (sea level) pressure to a patient inside an enclosed chamber environment. The pressure is typically two to three times greater than normal atmospheric pressure, causing the blood, tissue and muscles to carry larger amounts of oxygen – up to 20 times normal concentration. By doing so, wounds, particularly hypoxic and infected wounds, have more oxygen available for the healing process. Primary diagnoses for hyperbaric therapy include: compromised grafts and flaps, radiation tissue damage, problem wounds, osteomyelitis, gas gangrene, necrotizing soft tissue infection, crush injuries, carbon monoxide poisoning, air embolism, and thermal burns. Treatments for chronic conditions may be repeated over days or weeks. A treatment session for more acute conditions such as decompression sickness may be longer but not necessarily repeated. Patients might feel pressure in their ears while in the hyperbaric chamber, and ears may pop when the patient leaves the chamber. During treatment patients will remain under the care of their primary physician. A plan of care and updates will be provided to the primary physician throughout the treatment process.