A Powerful Ally in Rehabilitation — Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Introduction of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen chamber is a kind of large-scale medical equipment, which is composed of chamber body, air supply and exhaust system, electrical system, etc. The chamber body carries patients. Hyperbaric oxygen is a treatment means and method, which is clinically called hyperbaric oxygen therapy, that is, a method of inhaling pure oxygen in an environment greater than one atmosphere. Due to the high pressure of inhaled oxygen, the partial pressure of oxygen in blood can be rapidly increased, the oxygen content in blood can be increased, and more oxygen can be provided for tissues. At the same time, driven by high pressure, oxygen diffuses further in the blood for the use of remote organs and tissues. Hyperbaric oxygen can also shrink the cerebral blood vessels and reduce the cerebral blood flow, thus eliminating brain edema and reducing intracranial pressure.

01. The Vital Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen in Rehabilitation

Hyperbaric oxygen, as an important rehabilitation therapy, has been widely used in orthopedic rehabilitation, nerve injury rehabilitation, post-traumatic brain injury rehabilitation, spinal cord injury rehabilitation, children's cerebral palsy rehabilitation and other fields. At present, most domestic 3A hospitals and rehabilitation hospitals are equipped with hyperbaric oxygen chambers.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a kind of pure physical therapy, which uses a hyperbaric oxygen chamber to place the human body in a high-pressure environment of more than 1 atmosphere, and treats diseases by breathing pure oxygen or high-concentration oxygen with the same pressure as the environment. Its essence is to use the physical factor of "oxygen" to correct tissue hypoxia and improve the blood circulation of the body. Especially for some acute and chronic ischemic and hypoxic diseases and secondary diseases caused by hypoxia, it plays a unique role in treatment and rehabilitation.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can promote the aerobic metabolism of cells and increase the oxygen content of the body by increasing the oxygen tension and increasing the diffusion radius of oxygen. Improve metabolism, improve microcirculation and establish new collateral circulation; Promote the discharge of harmful gases; Relieve edema and reduce exudation; Inhibit the growth and reproduction of anaerobic bacteria and promote wound healing; Enhance the curative effect of tumor radiotherapy and chemotherapy and prevent its complications; Promote the repair of nerve sheath; Regulating immunity and protecting health.

02. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Adapts to Diseases

Be poisoned

Acute carbon monoxide poisoning (gas) and other harmful gases (hydrogen sulfide, liquefied gas, gasoline, etc.) and drug and chemical poisoning.

Cardiovascular disease

Dizziness, cerebral blood supply deficiency, coronary heart disease, cerebral infarction, cerebral hemorrhage recovery period, etc.

Brain injury and brain dysfunction

Concussion, brain contusion, optic nerve injury, intracranial hematoma removal, electric injury, drowning, strangulation, anesthesia accident, etc.

Anaerobic bacteria infection and aseptic osteonecrosis

Periodontal disease, gas gangrene, tetanus, osteomyelitis, femoral head necrosis, etc.

After transplantation

After replantation of severed limbs (fingers and toes) and skin transplantation.

Trauma and repair of various injuries

Fracture and poor healing after fracture, burns, skin ulcers, diabetic ulcers, sports injuries, radiation injuries, spinal cord injuries, etc.

Malignant tumor

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for malignant tumor during radiotherapy or chemotherapy can increase the effect of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

Nervous system diseases

Stroke recovery, hypoxic brain damage, meningitis, spinal cord injury, peripheral nerve injury, autism, facial neuritis (facial paralysis), etc.

Skin disease

Purulent herpes, psoriasis, psoriasis, juvenile acne, erythema nodosum, etc.

03. Are There Side Effects to Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Many people are worried about the side effects of hyperbaric oxygen, and the most mentioned are decompression sickness and oxygen poisoning. Conventional treatment pressure is 2 atmospheres (that is, 1 atmosphere is increased), which is reduced from 2 atmospheres to normal, and decompression sickness will not occur theoretically. As for oxygen poisoning, conventional treatment programs will not cause oxygen poisoning in theory, and individual differences and other factors should be considered in practical work. In fact, the side effect that hyperbaric oxygen professionals consider most is middle ear barotrauma, just like we may have earache when the plane lands. When the pressure is increased, it is necessary for everyone to do pressure regulating actions (swallowing, pinching the nose and inflating, etc.) to avoid the pressure imbalance on both sides of the tympanic membrane. Once the eustachian tube is blocked, such as a cold and stuffy nose, it is easy to have discomfort such as earache, and you can't enter the cabin at this time.

In order to cope with the above situation, Xiangya Boai Hyperbaric Oxygen Medical Center has formulated standardized treatment procedures and emergency plans to ensure the safety and order of medical work and the medical safety of patients. In addition, the department always adheres to the system of medical staff patrolling the cabin during hyperbaric oxygen treatment to ensure the safety of patients in the cabin.