Speakers
Dr. Wing-Wa YAN
Hong Kong
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is the treatment of medical condition(s) by breathing pure oxygen (100%) at pressures greater than 1 atmosphere absolute (ATA) in a pressure chamber. Hyperbaric treatments are typically delivered at pressures between 2.0 to 3.0 ATA.
HBOT is a well-recognized treatment modality for many medical conditions. Peer-reviewed research has indicated HBOT for the following conditions:
- Air or Gas Embolism
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
- Clostridial Myositis and Myonecrosis (Gas Gangrene)
- Crush injury, Compartment Syndrome and Other Traumatic types of Ischemia
- Decompression Sickness
- Arterial Insufficiencies (including diabetic foot ulcers & central retinal artery occlusion)
- Severe Anemia
- Intracranial Abscess
- Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections
- Osteomyelitis (Refractory)
- Delayed Radiation Injury (Soft Tissue and Bony Necrosis)
- Compromised Graft and Flaps
- Acute Thermal Burn Injury
- Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
Before initiation of HBO therapy, a balanced assessment should be made regarding the potential benefits and risks, considering both the indications and contraindications. Known contraindications include:
- Untreated pneumothorax (absolute)
- Patients taking bleomycin, cisplatin or doxorubicin (absolute)
- Asthma or COPD (relative)
- Claustrophobia (relative)
- Eustachian tube dysfunction or URTI (relative)
- High fever (relative)
- Seizure or epilepsy (relative)
- HBO incompatible pacemakers (relative)
- Congenital spherocytosis (relative)
Clinicians and patients should also be aware of potential complications related to HBOT, which include:
- Barotrauma: middle ear, sinuses & pulmonary
- Oxygen toxicity: brain & pulmonary
- Decompression illness
- Insert gas narcosis (rare)
- Fire (rare)
