You may have heard  about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT).  But what it is exactly and how do we use this in our podiatric practice?

During HBOT, a patient breathes 100% Oxygen at 2 to 3 times atmospheric pressure.  This increases the oxygen uptake in the blood.  The oxygenated blood is transported throughout the body to supply ischemic or diseased tissues. 

A patient generally undergoes 30-60 treatments.  Treatments must be on consecutive days (ie. Monday through Friday).

In our practice, we recommend HBOT for patients who are suffering from non-healing wounds, necrotizing soft tissue infections, bone infection and compromised skin grafts and flaps.

Other indications for HBOT include:

• Thermal burns
• Exceptional Anemia
• Decompression sickness & Air embolism
• Carbon monoxide poisoning
• Crush injury/compartment syndrome
• Delayed radiation injury

Contraindications include:

• Untreated Pneumothorax (collapsed lung)
• Pregnancy
• Congenital spherocytosis
• Certain medications: Bleomycin, Cisplatin, Disulfiram, Doxorubicin, Sulfamylon

Drs. Trang, Fassman and Tsombaris are Certified Wound Specialists affiliated with the Elmer Wound Care Center.

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