Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: Treating wounds with 100-percent oxygen

Franciscan St. Margaret Health - Hammond's Wound Healing & Prevention Institute houses one of the most state-of-the-art hyperbaric oxygen chambers in the region. This cutting-edge technology is an example of Franciscan St. Margaret's commitment to providing high-tech and quality care. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy makes positive changes in the lives of those living with life- and limb-threatening wounds or other serious conditions.

What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) is a medical treatment in which 100 percent oxygen is administered at high pressure to a patient in order to treat specific medical conditions. It has been shown to be particularly effective in healing and treating problem wounds, chronic bone infection, radiation injury and compromised skin grafts and flaps. The staff works closely with the primary referring physician and coordinates other procedures and hospital visits.  

The following are well-established and accepted conditions payable by major third party payers and the financial intermediaries of Medicare:

• Acute carbon monoxide intoxication
• Decompression illness
• Gas embolism
• Gas gangrene
• Acute traumatic peripheral ischemia (ATI) – a condition that compromises circulation to an extremity and places it at risk for necrosis or amputation
• Crush injuries and suturing of severed limbs
• Progressive necrotizing infections – a severe, tissue-destroying, bacterial infection
• Acute peripheral arterial insufficiency – an acute decrease in blood flow
• Preparation and preservation of compromised skin grafts
• Chronic refractory osteomyelitis  – a persistent or recurring bone infection that is unresponsive to conventional medical and surgical management
• Osteoradionecrosis – bone damage following radiation therapy
• Soft tissue radionecrosis – soft tissue damage following radiation therapy
• Cyanide poisoning – smoke inhalation victims frequently suffer from both carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning
• Actinomycosis – a bacterial infection that causes an abscess or open wound
• Diabetic wounds of the lower extremities

Benefits of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy

• Improved Care – By accelerating healing, HBO lowers risks of disability and death.
• Shorter Hospital Stay - Patients treated with HBO often spend fewer days in the hospital, sometimes seeing reductions in their length of stay by 30 – 50%.
• Lower Costs - By accelerating healing and reducing the length of hospital stay, HBO coincides with cost-containment goals of major insurance providers.