Hyperbaric chamber
A hyperbaric chamber is a controlled environment where atmospheric pressure and oxygen levels can be adjusted to create a high-pressure, high-oxygen atmosphere. Initially developed for deep-sea divers suffering from decompression sickness, these chambers have evolved to treat various medical conditions, such as burns, wounds, and injuries related to radiation therapy. The term "hyperbaric" combines the Greek prefix "hyper," meaning increased, with "baric," which relates to pressure. Treatment within these chambers typically involves pressures ranging from 1.5 to 3 atmospheres absolute (ATA) and 100 percent oxygen, enhancing the body's ability to deliver oxygen to tissues and promote healing.
Historically, the use of increased pressure for medical purposes dates back to the 17th century, but it gained prominence in the 19th century for treating heart diseases and other ailments. The early 20th century saw the military's adoption of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for divers, and further research established its effectiveness in various medical settings, including for cancer patients and those with chronic wounds. As of 2014, an estimated 2,000 facilities across the United States offered hyperbaric treatments, indicating the growing acceptance and application of this therapeutic method. Hyperbaric chambers are now recognized for their role in addressing conditions like bone infections and carbon monoxide poisoning, among others, showcasing their importance in modern medical care.
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Hyperbaric chamber
A hyperbaric chamber is an enclosed space or room in which atmospheric pressure and oxygen levels can be adjusted to provide a high-pressure, high-oxygen environment. Hyperbaric chambers have been used on deep-sea divers suffering from decompression sickness. They can also be used to treat certain medical conditions, including burns, wounds, or radiation injuries incurred by cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy. In 2014, more than two thousand facilities in the United States were estimated to offer the treatment.
Overview
The term hyperbaric comes from the prefix hyper-, meaning "increased," and baric, which corresponds to "pressure." Earth's atmosphere at sea level contains 21 percent oxygen and exerts a pressure of 14.7 pounds per square inch (psi). This pressure is referred to as one atmosphere absolute (ATA). Hyperbaric conditions, therefore, are defined as any pressure over 1 ATA with an oxygen level of more than 21 percent.
The first person to use atmospheric pressure as a medical treatment was a British physician named Henshaw, who created a chamber called a domicilium in 1662. Using a system of bellows and valves to adjust the pressure, Henshaw found that his domicilium seemed to help patients with digestive and respiratory issues, though there is no record of his method being used by other physicians of his era. European doctors in the nineteenth century were the next to experiment with pressure, using it to treat heart diseases and a variety of other ailments.
In the late nineteenth century, scientists discovered that decompression sickness (DCS) suffered by divers who came up too fast from depth was caused by nitrogen bubbles in the bloodstream. These bubbles were forced out by the added pressure underwater. They also found that the effects of DCS could be reversed by recompression therapy. In the early twentieth century, the United States military began using hyperbaric oxygen to treat divers suffering from DCS.
In the 1950s and 1960s, scientists found that hyperbaric oxygen increased the effectiveness of radiation treatments for cancer patients and was able to help patients undergoing cardiac surgery. They also found it an effective treatment for burns and wounds caused by diabetes. In an effort to regulate the growing field of hyperbaric medicine, the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society (UHMS) issued guidelines in 1977 for the ethical use of the treatment.
Modern hyperbaric chambers work by increasing the pressure inside to 1.5 to 3 ATA and raising the oxygen level to 100 percent. This allows the blood to carry more oxygen to the organs and tissues and increase the body's natural healing capabilities. Among the conditions hyperbaric chambers are used to treat are injuries suffered from radiation therapy, severe burns, ulcers and wounds that are slow to heal, bone infections, carbon monoxide poisoning, severe bacterial skin infections, and brain or sinus infections.
According to a 2014 article in U.S. News & World Report, John Peters, executive director of the UHMS, said that about 1,800 to 2,000 hospitals in the United States used hyperbaric chambers to treat patients. Another 500 to 700 non-hospital affiliated programs also offered the therapy.
Bibliography
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