Hyperbaric chamber – what it is for, operation, indications, contraindications, price

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A hyperbaric chamber is a special type of tightly closed room constructed for the needs of hyperbaric therapy. It is a method that uses the healing properties of XNUMX% oxygen under increased atmospheric pressure. Hyperbaric therapy is helpful in treating many diseases due to the fact that it is one of the most effective methods of delivering oxygen to tissues.

What is a hyperbaric chamber?

Hyperbaric therapy is a therapeutic procedure, the action of which is based on the use of pure oxygen in conditions of sufficiently high pressure. The pressure in the hyperbaric chamber can be up to 3 times higher than the atmospheric pressure, thanks to which it eliminates the physiological barriers of oxygen to the penetration of cells and enables the supply of increased doses of oxygen to the cells, which is conducive to the treatment of many diseases. A hyperbaric chamber is used to create the appropriate conditions for such therapy.

The first device, which was the prototype for the later hyperbaric chambers, was designed in the XNUMXth century. It was then that the treatment of pulmonary diseases with compressed air was initiated. Hyperbaric chambers became widely used in Europe in the XNUMXth century. Nowadays in hyperbaric therapy several types of chambers are used:

1. single-seat chambers – designed for one person, they allow the procedure to be performed in a standing position (cylindrical chambers) or lying (cylindrical chambers), the procedure is performed without the use of an oxygen mask;
2. multi-place chambers – they make it possible to perform the procedure for several people at the same time, patients sit down and inhale oxygen through the mask;
3. Gamow bags – the treatment chamber consists of an inflatable bag in which high pressure is maintained; the Gamow bag is portable and used primarily at high altitudes in the treatment of high altitude pulmonary edema, cerebral edema and acute mountain sickness; this type of device can also be found in some surgeries and spas.

How does a hyperbaric chamber work?

The treatment of various diseases and ailments in hyperbaric chambers is a procedure called hyperbaric oxygen (HBO). Under normal conditions, the supply of oxygen to the body depends on the blood supply to a specific area of ​​the body. Under the conditions prevailing in a hyperbaric chamber, oxygen has the ability to penetrate even to non-bloodied parts of the body. Increases in oxygen levels are also found in the blood, lymph, and cerebrospinal fluid. This is due to a minimum pressure of 1,4 ATA in the chamber, but 2,5 ATA is typically used as standard.

While in a hyperbaric chamber, the patient inhales pure oxygen, and can do so while sitting or lying down. It sometimes happens that during therapy, he may experience an unpleasant feeling similar to that experienced during take-off and landing of an airplane.

Oxygen hyperbaria – course

Treatment in a hyperbaric chamber it lasts approximately 45-60 minutes, but is divided into three cycles with breaks of a few minutes. Before undergoing therapy, the patient is required to undress to underwear or stay in shorts and a T-shirt. You should also remove any sharp objects. After entering the hyperbaric chamber, the pressure is gradually increased until the required value is reached, and then this value is maintained at a constant level.

In order to obtain a measurable result, you should regularly undergo therapy sessions in a hyperbaric chamber. The time and number of treatments as well as the amount of pressure are adjusted individually to a specific patient. This type of therapy is considered safe and non-invasive, although there is a risk of side effects that may occur in some patients. The most common are headaches, vomiting, and fatigue as a result of too much pressure in the hyperbaric chamber or too long stay in it.

Hyperbaric chamber – indications

The indications for therapy in a hyperbaric chamber are all kinds of diseases that require improvement of the physiological processes taking place in the body. This method also slows down the aging process and supports the nourishment and regeneration of cells.

Therapy in a hyperbaric chamber is recommended for people suffering from a number of acute and chronic diseases and conditions. On list acute diseases that are an indication for the treatment of hyperbaric oxygen, and are also covered by the NHF reimbursement, are:

1. decompression sickness – most often affects divers and airline pilots; gas bubbles (usually nitrogen) appear in the body and must be removed as soon as possible as they can cause shortness of breath, pulmonary edema and even spinal cord damage;
2. carbon monoxide poisoning – HBO therapy is the most effective method of treating this life-threatening poisoning;
3. gas embolism, e.g. during surgery or catheterization;
4. musculoskeletal and multi-organ injuries;
5. acute soft tissue ischemia;
6. necrotic infection of soft tissues;
7. burns of the XNUMXnd and XNUMXrd degree;
8. deafness that results from an acoustic trauma or is idiopathic.

Hyperbaric therapy at the National Health Fund it can also be implemented in the case of some chronic diseases, including: diabetic foot, complications after amputation (necrosis, inflammation), bone necrosis or the risk of tissue necrosis, radiation damage, otitis externa, infections after injuries, bedsores, abscesses (e.g. intracranial , lungs, liver).

The effectiveness of hyperbaric chambers has also been confirmed in the case of chronic skin diseases, various inflammations, frostbite, fractures, contusions, anemia caused by blood loss, and as an auxiliary in the treatment of mycosis. HBO is also recommended for cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, atherosclerosis), stroke and to strengthen the immune system in sepsis. This method also inhibits the aging process, and supports the nourishment and regeneration of cells, which is why it is also used in aesthetic medicine and cosmetology.

Confirmed effectiveness of therapy in a hyperbaric chamber in the treatment of difficult-to-heal wounds. Visible improvement in wound healing occurs after 2-4 weeks in people up to 60 years of age. Progress is slightly slower in the elderly, but healing is accelerated after 6 weeks of treatment.

Talk to your doctor about the possibilities offered by a hyperbaric chamber. You can use the online consultation and ask for an e-Referral without leaving your home.

1. Also read: Chronic wounds of the elderly – where do they come from? Types of chronic wounds

Hyperbaric chamber – contraindications

Unfortunately, not every patient can undertake therapy in a hyperbaric chamber, and if in doubt, consult a doctor. The main and absolute contraindications to HBO are chemotherapy and untreated pneumothorax.

Procedures in a hyperbaric chamber should not be performed while taking certain medications, including bleomycin, doxorubicin, cisplatin, disulfiram and the antibacterial Mafenide acetate. Other contraindications to treatments in a hyperbaric chamber that should be consulted with a doctor include:

1. pacemaker;
2. pregnancy;
3. claustrophobia;
4. viral infections, especially of the lungs or sinuses;
5. fever;
6. spherocytosis;
7. emphysema;
8. tumors treated with chemotherapy – in the case of radiation therapy, HBO may be indicated because it increases the susceptibility of neoplastic lesions to radiation, and also reduces radiation necrosis and tissue damage;
9. epilepsy or decreased seizures (tendency to convulsions and chills);
10. operations performed around the chest or temporal bone;
11. optic neuritis with a history of

Hyperbaric chamber – complications

The use of hyperbaric therapy is associated with the risk of complications, which can be caused by high pressure in the chamber or the toxic effects of compressed oxygen. Due to possible negative effects of treatment, thoroughness is extremely important medical interview before starting HBO and the exclusion of any contraindications to treatments.

Do the most common complications of hyperbaric oxygen treatment belong:

1. pressure injury of the ear – a way to counteract it is to equalize the pressure in the middle ear while staying in the hyperbaric chamber, using e.g. the Valsalva maneuver and swallowing;
2. sinus pressure trauma – can occur in people with allergic symptoms and an infection that affects the upper respiratory tract;
3. temporary short-sightedness (in people with farsightedness, vision may improve) – the symptom disappears after 6-8 weeks;
4. oxygen poisoning – irritation and pain in the larynx, swelling of the nasal mucosa, cough, breathing problems, seizure (so-called grand mal);
5. hypoglycaemia leading to convulsions;
6. abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea;
7. headaches;
8. cough;
9. pain in the chest;
10. tingling or numbness in the fingers and limbs;
11. decompression sickness – can only occur in the case of treatments in multi-person chambers.

If you want to check the condition of your teeth or need root canal treatment, make an appointment with your dentist today so that the treatment in the hyperbaric chamber will not be associated with additional pain.

Hyperbaric chamber – price

Patients who have been referred for treatments in a hyperbaric chamber on the basis of a reimbursed diagnosis can undergo treatment free of charge. Otherwise, we will perform HBO for a fee in selected hospitals and clinics. Price of one treatment in a hyperbaric chamber it is about PLN 150-350. It should be remembered that obtaining results requires a series of treatments, usually from 10 to several dozen.