HISTORY OF HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) is not as new as we might think—
but why haven’t we heard much about it?
Early records of decompression sickness date back to over 150 years ago.
In 1845, it was noted that coal miners coming out of deep mines suffered the bends, and the first
clinical HBOT applications are recorded about this time. Also named caisson disease for the
compressed-air chambers used to enable workers to excavate and build bridge foundations
underwater, the disease killed many nineteenth century builders of the Brooklyn Bridge, as well as
crippling chief engineer John Roebling. Use of hyperbaric oxygen reduced deaths dramatically.
Although HBOT was first used in the 1890s to control infection and the U.S.
military further tested and developed HBOT after World War I, the basis for modern HBOT was not
developed until the 1930s. Decompression sickness, anaerobic bacterial infections, and carbon monoxide
poisoning responded favorably enough that the National Academy of Sciences supported the therapy.
Improved techologies were developed for the delivery of oxygen. But the technical difficulties of
administering oxygen under pressure, as well as the dangers of handling the highly-explosive element,
restricted its use until the 1960s.
Ten years later, HBOT fell into disfavor with the introduction of cardiac
surgeries, failure when used for inappropriate conditions, and promotion by medical charlatans.
Today, there are over 23,000 articles on HBOT in the medical literature promoting
its use in the healing and control of infection. In the treatment of diabetes—the control of infection
and reduction of the incidence of amputation—HBOT provides value, not only to the patient, but to those
who would be responsible for care of the amputee.
During the past decade, the availability of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy facilities
has expanded to most metropolitan areas in the United States. The use of HBOT is also increasing in
Canada and Mexico.
Even though HBOT is usually not a primary therapy, it can be a valuable adjunct
to improve healing, reduce infection, and favorably alter the symptoms of some chronic diseases. Clinical
applications of this innovative and highly effective therapy are increasing rapidly. Recognition of the
benefit of HBOT for difficult cases has moved the use of HBOT as a treatment of last resort to an important
part of primary treatment—in some cases there is no equivalent treatment which provides results as quickly
with such minimal side effects.
Experts recognize that, although pure oxygen is a drug, properly administered,
it is one of the safest drugs a patient can use.
©2007 Florida Oxygen
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