We work with patients on an outpatient basis, by physician referral.
Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy at Memorial Hospital is used to help accelerate and promote wound healing, based on approved indications from UHMS (Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society) guidelines.
Our hyperbaric oxygen therapy program is accredited by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS).
As a UHMS-accredited facility, all treatment protocols are evidence-based. This means that there is substantial, documented research on the beneficial effects of this therapy for each medical condition we treat.
How does hyperbaric oxygen therapy work?
The medical profession has known for some time that providing 100% oxygen by face mask has certain benefits. The air we breathe contains 21% oxygen. By providing 100% pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber, patients receive two to three times more oxygen than by inhaling oxygen through a mask. This hyperbaric (high pressure) dose of oxygen greatly increases the amount of oxygen the bloodstream can deliver to body tissues—and this offers distinct therapeutic benefits.
Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy may be used as part of the treatment for certain conditions, including the following:
- Central retinal artery occlusion.
- Chronic bone infection (chronic refractory osteomyelitis).
- Crush injuries.
- Injury to skin or bone as a side effect from radiation therapy.
- Non-healing wounds, such as diabetic foot ulcers.
- Non-healing skin grafts and flaps.
- Sudden sensorineural hearing loss.
Patients typically receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy five days a week for approximately four to six weeks. One treatment takes about two hours and is quite comfortable for most patients.
Treatments are covered by Medicare and most insurance providers, based on the indication. Because the number of treatments varies, we work with insurance companies to pre-authorize treatments based on the payor source.