Hyperbaric Medicine

What is Hyperbaric Medicine?

Hyperbaric medicine is a treatment that uses pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. Breathing oxygen at a higher pressure helps more oxygen get into the blood and reach areas of the body that are injured, infected, or not healing well. Essentia uses hyperbaric oxygen therapy in both outpatient and emergency settings to treat FDA-approved conditions.

Conditions Treated

Our Hyperbaric Medicine team can only treat FDA-approved conditions, including:

• Air or gas embolism — occurs when a gas bubble enters the arteries
• Carbon monoxide poisoning — life-threatening exposure to carbon monoxide gas
• Gas gangrene —  severe, rapidly spreading bacteria causing tissue death and gas production under the skin
• Crush injury, compartment syndrome, other acute traumatic ischemia — emergencies caused by not getting enough oxygen in the tissue, excessive swelling caused by fluid trapped in tissue, and a build-up of pressure
• Compromised grafts or flaps —  tissue compromised by previous radiation treatment or a critical decrease in oxygen or blood
• Delayed radiation injuries (soft tissue and bony necrosis) — a chronic condition occurring after radiation therapy
• Necrotizing soft tissue infections — major tissue death and infection - level of infection is in the deep fascia tissue surrounding bones, muscles, nerves, and blood vessels
• Arterial inefficiencies: Enhancement of healing in selected problem wounds — diabetic foot ulcers of Wagner stage III or IV, Acute Peripheral Arterial Insufficiency (sudden, severe reduction in arterial blood flow to limbs), and limb preservation
• Acute thermal burns —  severe burns caused by heat and frostbite
• Mandibular osteoradionecrosis —  radiation injury that can cause damage to the blood vessels in the jawbone, making surgery or injuries difficult to heal, and leads to cell death
• Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL) — also known as sudden deafness, unexplained, rapid loss of hearing associated with nerve death and the sensory organs of the inner ear
• Avascular necrosis —  bone and bone marrow death due to a lack of blood supply
• Osteomyelitis (refractory) —  bone infection that does not respond to standard treatment, such as antibiotics or surgery, within 4 - 6 weeks, or diabetic foot ulcers that do not respond to conventional care
• Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) —  stroke behind the eye - sudden, painless, severe loss of vision due to a blockage in the retinal artery
• Intracranial abscess —  infection of the brain, forming collections of pus, immune cells, and other materials
• Decompression sickness ("The bends") —  rapid pressure decrease then back to surface causes dissolved nitrogen gas to form bubbles in the blood and tissue
• Severe anemia (when blood transfusions are not an option) —  a shortage of healthy red blood cells, and tissues do not receive enough oxygen

Insurance covers FDA-approved treatments.

Treatment Plans

Treatment plans are based on each patient’s diagnosis, symptoms, and medical history. Most treatment sessions last about 120 minutes.

Before treatment begins, each patient must meet with one of our board-certified physicians to see if hyperbaric medicine is the right option.

Depending on the referral, our providers may also recommend additional testing, such as:

• LUNA microvascular fluorescence angiography — a test that shows blood flow to the affected area or wound in real time
• TCOM (transcutaneous oximetry) — a noninvasive test that measures oxygen levels in the skin around the affected area or wound

Nationally Recognized Care

Essentia Health’s Hyperbaric and Dive Medicine Department is a top-rated center for safety and patient care. It has earned the highest level of accreditation, called Level 1, Accredited with Distinction. This honor is given to only 51 centers in the country, and Essentia is the only one in the region that offers 24/7 emergency hyperbaric care. Every team member is also certified in hyperbaric medicine by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society.