* The increased
overall pressure is of therapeutic value when HBOT is used in the
treatment of decompression sickness and air embolism;
* For many other
conditions, the therapeutic principle of HBOT lies in its ability to
drastically increase partial pressure of oxygen in the tissues of
the body. The oxygen partial pressures achievable using HBOT are
much higher than those achievable while breathing pure oxygen at
normobaric conditions (i.e. at normal atmospheric pressure);
* A related
effect is the increased oxygen transport capacity of the blood.
Under atmospheric pressure, oxygen transport is limited by the
oxygen binding capacity of hemoglobin in red blood cells and very
little oxygen is transported by blood plasma. Because the hemoglobin
of the red blood cells is almost saturated with oxygen under
atmospheric pressure, this route of transport cannot be exploited
any further. Oxygen transport by plasma, however is significantly
increased using HBOT as the stimulus.
Treatments
Initially, HBOT
was developed as a treatment for diving disorders involving bubbles
of gas in the tissues, such as decompression sickness and gas
embolism. The chamber cures decompression sickness and gas embolism
by increasing pressure, reducing the size of the gas bubbles and
improving the transport of blood to downstream tissues.
The high
concentrations of oxygen in the tissues are beneficial in keeping
oxygen-starved tissues alive, and have the effect of removing the
nitrogen from the bubble, making it smaller until it consists only
of oxygen, which is re-absorbed into the body. After elimination of
bubbles, the pressure is gradually reduced back to atmospheric
levels.
Seychelles,
Victoria
Bosnia, Sarajevo
New Zealand
Bulgaria, Sofia
Queanbeyan, Australia
Traralgon, Victoria
Jackson, Mississippi
Madison, Wisconsin
Oakland, California
Al Hayl, United Arab Emirates, Al Hayl, UAE
