it is a high pressure oxygen therapy.

1. Hyperbaric Oxygen
Therapy

2. Mechanism of Actions
 Increased Oxygen Delivery
 Henry's Law states that the amount of an ideal
gas dissolved in solution is directly proportional
to its partial pressure.
 Thus, the dissolved plasma oxygen
concentration of 0.3 mL/dL at sea level (1.0 atm)
increases to 1.5 mL/dL upon administration of
100 percent oxygen
 Hyperbaric oxygen delivered at 3.0 atm yields a
dissolved oxygen content of 6 mL/dL

3. Mechanism of Actions
 Reduction of Gas Bubble size
 Base on Boyle's Law
 The volume of nitrogen bubbles is inversely
related to the pressure exerted upon it.
 At 3.0 atm, bubble volume decreases by
approximately two-thirds.
 Further bubble dissolution is accomplished by
the replacement of inert nitrogen within the
bubbles with oxygen, which is then rapidly
metabolized by tissues

4. Mechanism of Action
 Improved wound healing
 Generation of Oxygen free radicals
 Fibroblast proliferation, angiogenesis, and wound healing
 HBO augments neutrophil bactericidal activity, limits
clostridial exotoxin and spore production, kills anaerobes
such as Clostridium perfringens, and inhibits the growth of
several other bacterial pathogens
 Antagonism of Carbon Monoxide
 HBO reduces half life of Carboxyhemoglobin from 4-6hrs
to 15-30min

5. TECHNIQUE
 Chamber pressure is usually maintained between 2.5 and 3.0
atm,
 Treatment lasts for 45 to 300 minutes depending upon the
indication.
 Acute therapy may require only one or two treatments
 Chronic medical conditions may warrant up to 30 or more
sessions.
 Pressures exceeding 2.8 to 3.0 atm, particularly over prolonged
exposure hyperbaric periods, dramatically increase the risk of
both neurologic and pulmonary oxygen toxicity

8. Complications
 Middle ear Barotrauma is the most common side effect.
 Sinus Barotrauma
 Common if Upper respiratory tract infection or rhinitis present
 URTI and rhinitis to be treated prior to HBO
 Reversible myopia
 Direct oxygen toxicity to lens
 Pulmonary barotrauma
 Rare
 Seizures
 CNS toxicity
 Occurs if pressure >2.5-3atm
 Duration >45minutes

9. Contraindications
Absolute Relative
 Untreated Pneumothorax  Obstructive lung disease
 Asymptomatic pulmonary blebs
or bullae on chest radiograph
 upper respiratory or sinus
infections
 recent ear or thoracic surgery,
 uncontrolled fever
 claustrophobia