Gas gangrene – the death of tissue and muscle – is a fast-spreading disease occurring from a lack of blood flow or a bacterial infection.  The infection can be caused from bowel contamination or by an outside source with risks higher for people with diabetes – a disease that can affect blood flow and damage blood vessels.

Patients with gas gangrene benefit from adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy by its ability to:

• Boost the body’s oxygen supply enhancing blood flow.

• Help the effectiveness of surgical intervention, grafting and antibiotic therapy.

• Slow the growth of the bacteria that thrive in oxygen-depleted areas of the body.

• Stop the rapidly progressive infection from invading viable tissue and muscle.

• Allow the infection-fighting white blood cells to do their job by stopping toxin production.

• Improve red blood cell function.

• Prevent swelling causing more tissue damage or death.

• Reduce chance of amputation of an extremity affected by gangrene.

WHEN TO CALL HYOX: 

• Immediately, upon diagnosis.