Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy |
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HyOx Medical Treatment Center administers hyperbaric oxygen therapy with the end result in mind: healing. Healing not just of the body but the mind and spirit as well. Knowing chronic conditions and injuries take their toll on quality of life, HyOx takes life’s key ingredient — oxygen (O2) — and prescribes it as a drug with a customized treatment protocol designed for each patient. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy used as an adjunctive therapy can:
- Accelerate healing of chronic wounds
- Reduce blood flow into normal tissue while keeping it well oxygenated (decrease swelling)
- Help fight infection and certain antibiotics to work more effectively
- Encourage growth of new blood vessels in hypoxic tissues
- Decrease the risk of complications prior to and following certain surgeries
- Speed the recovery of soft tissues and bones affected by radiation therapy
- Reduce the incidence of amputation in diabetic patients with lower extremity wounds
Transcutaneous oxygen measurements (TCPO2)
This non-invasive procedure measures the “end point” of the oxygen delivery system, i.e., the oxygen tensions present within the skin or tissues to know if they are healthy or critically ischemic (lacking oxygen). The measurement helps direct the prescription for hyperbaric oxygen therapy by helping to determine which areas of the body are in need of extra oxygen in order to heal. The measurement also can help predict the risk of amputation in diabetic patients.
Transcutaneous literally means “through the skin.” To make a measurement, an adhesive ring, which allows oxygen to pass through a gas-permeable membrane, is placed on a patient’s skin and then attached to a sensor. The measurement usually is taken first on the chest and then on site around the wounded or injured area. First, patients breathe room air and then are measured again while breathing through a facemask supplying 100 percent oxygen. HyOx’s Medical Director, Dr. King, will compare the results to make an informed decision about a patient’s treatment protocol and the value of administering hyperbaric oxygen therapy.