HBOT

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment in which patients breathe 100% oxygen while placed in a chamber at pressures greater than atmospheric pressure. The therapy raises the amount of dissolved oxygen in plasma, enabling increased oxygen delivery to hypoxic tissues and supporting various physiological processes, including enhanced leukocyte killing of bacteria, angiogenesis, and reduction of edema.

HBOT is used for a range of conditions. Strong evidence supports its use for acute decompression illness and arterial gas embolism, and for carbon monoxide poisoning. It is also employed as an adjunctive treatment for certain infections such as clostridial myonecrosis and refractory soft tissue infections, for lingering radiation injuries, and for selected chronic wounds such as non-healing diabetic foot ulcers when standard care has failed.

Typical treatment involves sessions lasting 60 to 120 minutes, once daily, for a course that may last several weeks depending on the condition. Monoplace chambers deliver 100% oxygen to one patient, while multiplace chambers may include several patients breathing oxygen in addition to air breaks.

Potential risks include barotrauma to the ears or sinuses, tympanic membrane injury, oxygen toxicity leading to seizures, pulmonary complications, and claustrophobia. Contraindications include untreated pneumothorax and certain pulmonary diseases. HBOT is usually performed in specialized centers and should be administered by trained personnel with monitoring. Evidence supports select indications, but not all uses have robust randomized data.