Hyberbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOt) is a medical specialty offered by Capital Regional Medical Center. HBOt can be used in various fields of medicine: orthopedics, general surgery, plastic surgery, maxillofacial surgery, oral surgery, infectious disease, radiation oncology and emergency medicine.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was developed and tested by the U.S. Navy, and it has been successfully used since the 1930s. Cpaital Regional Medical Center's HBOt unit is one of only about 250 in use today.
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
With HBOt, patients breathe high levels of oxygen at greater-than atmospheric pressure for therapeutic purposes. The use of a recompression chamber allows for the increase in pressure. The process helps the healing of problem wounds, serious infections, selected toxic poisonings, and other ischemic/hypoxic related disorders.
How are HBOt Treatments Given?
HBOt treatments are given in a multiplace hyperbaric chamber, a large steel cylinder that can accommodate up to 16 people. Patients sit or recline through their therapy which is monitored continuously by the technologists in the chamber with the patients, or outside the chamber via a communication system.
HBOt Indications
HBOt may be used to promote the healing process for a variety of conditions.
- Air or Gas Embolism
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning and Smoke Inhalation
- Clostridial Myonecrosis (Gas Gangrene)
- Crush Injury, Compartment Syndrome and other Acute Traumatic Ischemias Decompression Illness
- Enhancement of Healing in Selected Problem Wounds
- Exceptional Blood Loss
- Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections
- Osteomyelitis (refractory)
- Radiation Tissue Damage
- Skin Grafts and Flaps (compromised)
- Thermal Burns
HBOt Side Effects?
The most common side effect of HBOt is fullness or popping of the ears; simple swallowing usually clears the ears. On rare occasions, patients develop temporary changes in the eyesight due to the pressure. Vision usually returns to pretreatment state within eight weeks following the end of treatment.
About the Program
Most HBOt treatments last approximately two hours and are given once or twice a day. We recommend patients set aside two and half hours to allow for preparation and departure time.
The number of treatments is based on the clinical response and needs of the patient. Some emergencies will require only one treatment. Wound healing may take 30-40 treatments, and some may take longer. Results usually appear between five and seven days.
HBOt at Capital Regional Medical Center can be provided on either an inpatient or outpatient basis depending on the clinical needs of the patient. HBOt is a conjunctive therapy so your hyperbaric physician will work closely with your primary physician to ensure what treatment is right for you.
For More Information
Speak with your physician or contact the Hyperbaric Medicine Department at Capital Regional Medical Center (850) 325-5000.
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