1. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
By: Adam Richmond

2. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy = uses a special chamber, sometimes called a pressure chamber, to allow a person to get high levels of oxygen in the blood. This means that the air inside the pressurized chamber is typically 2 1/2 times greater than normal atmospheric pressure. This leads to your blood carrying larger amounts of oxygen, and bringing this oxygen to organs and tissues in the body. By doing so, wounds, particularly infected wounds, can heal more readily.

3. HBOT – The Chamber shell – steel or aluminum windows – acrylic
human entrance w/ air lock system
observation window & intercom system
carbon dioxide scrubber
control panel

4. windows
human entrance
control panel
shell

5. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
6 lbs. O2 per/day  2 lbs. O2 absorbed into blood
Hemoglobin = metalloprotein in RBCs that hold/transports O2
1g hemoglobin = 1.34 mL atmospheric pressure
100% O2 2-3 times the atmospheric pressure
pO2 = 39 mmHg vs. pO2 = mmHg
 pressure =  O2 absorption
7.5 lbs. O2  1 hour  RBC fill  extra O2 dissolves in blood plasma for transport

7. HBOT— The role of O2 in the body
Cofactor enzymes:
mono-oxygenase
Intradioxygenase
Interdioxygenase
 O2 =  ATP
collagen deposition/synthesis
angiogenesis/epithelization
O2 = antioxidant  protects tissues from free radicals
trauma  physiological response  vasoconstriction  hypoxia
hypoxia – reduces cellular metabolism
-  defense mechanism
-  repair of injured cells

8. HBOT— What is it USED for?
Decompression sickness
Arterial gas embolism
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Osteomyelitis
Skin grafts
Burns
Necrotizing fascitis
Anemia
Gas gangrene
Chronic non-healing wounds
Sports injuries
and more…

9. HBOT— Primary and Secondary Effects
Decompression sickness
Air embolus syndrome
HBOT— Primary and Secondary Effects
Boyle law - Gas volume inversely proportional to pressure
Hyperbaric diffusion gradient favors gas leaving the bubble and oxygen moving in, metabolizing oxygen in the bubble
Law of La Place p-4t/r
Bubbles unstable as they decrease in size

10. HBOT— Decompression sickness
diver resurfaces too quickly
gas bubbles form in tissue and blood
blocks lymphatics, veins and arteries
HBOT
reduces bubble size
corrects hypoxia

11. HBOT— Sports Injuries
trauma  physiological response  vasoconstriction  hypoxia
ischemia = swelling cuts off O2 circulation to the affected areas
 O2 leads to…
  collagen deposition/synthesis
  angiogenesis/epithelization
  ATP
 recovery time
Performance
 speeds recovery between workouts

12. HBOT— Treatment *Average 90 min. HBOT Rx = $300 - $400
2.0 ATA oxygen X 90 minutes
 wound healing
 comprised skin grafts
 thermal burns
 osteomyelitis
 crush injury/compartment syndrome
2.5 ATA oxygen X 90 minutes
 nonclostridial gas gangrene
 necrotizing infections
 radiation tissue injury
3.0 ATA oxygen X 90 minutes
 carbon monoxide poisoning
 clostridial gas gangrene
*Average 90 min. HBOT Rx = $300 - $400
* Most ailments require sessions

13. HBOT— Contraindications
Claustrophobia
Pneumothorax
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Seizure disorders
Pregnancy
Upper Respiratory Infection
Hypothermia
Heredity spherocytosis
Optic neuritis
Malignant tumors
Acidosis
DRUGS
Cis-platinum
Doxorubicin
Bleomycin
Steroids
Alcohol
Aromatic hydrocarbons
Disulfiram
Nicotine

14. HBOT— Oxygen Toxicity
severe hyperoxia caused by breathing oxygen at elevated partial pressures
precise mechanism(s) of the damage are not known
CNS oxygen toxicity
nausea and vomiting
seizures
sweating
pallor
muscle twitching
Pulmonary oxygen toxicity
dry cough
substernal chest pain
bronchitis
anxiety
tinnitis
hallucinations
vertigo
hiccups
shortness of breath
pulmonary edema/fibrosis

15. References
Emedicine from WebMD. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy page. Available at Accessed November 28, 2006.
HBOT Treatment. Hyperbaric and Sports Injury. Available at Accessed November 28, 2006.
Li-Chen Lin, Yu-Ying Tang. Kwua-Yun Wang. The Efficacy of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Improving the Quality of Life in Patients with Problem Wounds. Journal of Nursing Research. 2006; 14:
Medline Plus. Medical Encyclopedia. Available at Accessed November 28, 2006.
Tibbles, P.M. and J.S. Edelsberg. Hyperbaric-Oxygen Therapy. The New England Journal of Medicine. 1996; 334:
Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Available at Accessed November 28, 2006.