HYPERBARIC OXYGEN
Hyperbaric oxygen is a therapy useful in a wide variety of conditions. Treatment is delivered in an enclosed chamber that is flooded with 100% oxygen and pressurized to a higher level than normal. The levels of oxygen in all body fluids and tissues are raised to much higher levels than normal. Treatments last 1-2 hours and can be repeated daily. Inability to equalize the pressure behind the eardrums due to Eustachian tube malfunction can cause rupture of the eardrum. About 95% of people are able to equalize the pressure without too much difficulty. Another potential danger is getting a leak in a damaged lung leading to a pneumothorax (collapsed lung). A chest x-ray before the first treatment can help determine if the risk of collapsing the lung is high.
The main treatment with hyperbaric (high pressure) chambers in the past was for the “bends”. This condition occurred in divers and caisson workers exposed to high pressures. Conditions that have been treated successfully with hyperbaric oxygen therapy include strokes, diabetic foot ulcers, vascular insufficiency of the extremities, Bell’s palsy (paralysis of the facial nerve), chronic Lyme disease, cerebral palsy and closed head injuries.
The higher levels of oxygen have been shown to promote growth of new blood vessels, improve white blood cell function in fighting infection, and help faster wound healing. In stroke patients, the brain has cells that are damaged but still alive. These cells surround the area of dead cells. The increased oxygen stimulates metabolism of the damaged cells and promotes recovery. A special brain scan, SPECT, can demonstrate the return to normal metabolic function of the damaged cells.
Portable and cheap hyperbaric chambers have been developed and they now can be found in many clinics and doctor’s offices. These cannot reach the high pressure levels found in the large chambers found in major medical centers but they are still effective. The small chambers can be claustrophobic for some people but the chambers have windows to see out and a communication system. As more research is being done with this therapy, it will become more widely available and covered by insurance. A book written in easy to understand terms about HBOT (hyperbaric oxygen therapy) is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Neubauer and Walker for $15.
Daniel Blodgett MD