The hyperbaric chamber became
popular in the first half of the twentieth century because of its
efficacy in treating decompression sickness, a life-threatening
complication in divers.
During the second half of the
twentieth century hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) was studied and
applied to many medical conditions, including gas gangrene,
carbon monoxide poisoning, radiation necrosis, thermal burns, diabetic
foot ulcers, and crush injury. Nowadays there are some authors who also
report the efficacy of the hyperbaric chamber in treating Alzheimer’s
disease, multiple sclerosis, alcohol abuse, and a number of other
illnesses.
This volume (as also with Medicina
Hiperbárica, Subbotina’s book for physicians, written in Spanish),
describes those pathologies whose treatment with hyperbaric oxygen has
been endorsed by evidence-based medicine. Evidence-based medicine aims
to apply the best available evidence gained from the scientific method
to clinical decision making for the individual patient. Thus, this book
reflects the current state of knowledge in hyperbaric oxygen treatment.
Because of the broad use of HBOT in cerebral palsy and autism, the
author also explains what is known about the efficacy of treatment of
these disorders.
The physical and biological
principles of hyperbaric oxygen therapy are simple and well studied. To
keep us alive our circulatory system is carrying oxygen from the lungs
to each cell in our bodies. The hyperbaric chamber allows this to be
done more efficiently on the basis of the laws of physics: under
pressure gases are more soluble in liquids. The liquids involved here
are blood or plasma, and the gas to be dissolved is oxygen, inhaled
inside the hyperbaric chamber, directly or by mask. With more oxygen in
blood, cells that suffer from lack of it, in most cases due to
circulatory problems, acquire the opportunity to recover enabling
healing.
The best proof of the efficacy of
hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the reimbursement by medical insurance
companies of this treatment that is accepted in many countries. It is
cost effective, the patients are cured, the programmed amputation
are prevented, and total expenditure for their health care is diminished. In
the United States, particularly, HBOT is officially recognized as a
treatment for 13 different pathologies.
That hyperbaric medicine occupies a
well-deserved place in the modern health sciences is demonstrated by the
more than eight thousand hyperbaric chambers being used worldwide, the
dozens of professional associations devoted to this specialty, the
continuing fundamental and clinical research being done in this field,
the many new journal publications and books available on this topic,
and, most importantly, the multitude of patients healed with this
noninvasive, painless therapy.
This book describes in a simple and
accessible manner the main benefits of hyperbaric oxygen treatment. We
hope that it will familiarize readers with new avenues for treatment and
will inspire them to consult their physicians about this promising
treatment.
Others books
by Dr. Subbotina:
Medicina
Hiperbárica
Лечение в
барокамере
La Cámara
Hiperbárica
Pie diabético en
riesgo (co-author)
La cámara
hiperberica en patologías abdominales
Key words:
• stroke
• sudden deafness
• compromised skin grafts
• crush injury
• mucormycosis
• post traumatic cerebral edema
• anti-aging
• refractory osteomyelitis
• compromized skin flaps
• aspergylosis
• decompression sickness
• acoustic trauma
• firearm wounds
• delayed radiation injury
• carbon monoxide poisoning
• actinomycosis
• delayed neurologic syndrome after CO poisoning
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• aseptic
bone necrosis
• smoke inhalation injury
• air or gas embolism
• compartment syndrome
• dysbaric diving accident
• cerebral palsy
• intracranial abscess
• diabetic foot ulcer
• carbon monoxide poisoning complicated by cyanide
poisoning
• thermal burns
• gas gangrene
• problem wounds
• necrotizing soft tissue infection
• exceptional blod loss (anemia)
• trench foot
• local cold injury
• tinnitus
• migraine
• autism |
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