Wound Healing Center
HBO therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) also plays an important
role in treating acute and traumatic wounds such as necrotizing
fascistic (flesh eating bacteria), clostridial myonecrosis
(gas gangrene), crush injuries, and surgical complications.
Hyperbaric
oxygen therapy ('hyper' meaning above and 'baric' meaning
pressure) provides 100 percent pure oxygen within a pressurized
chamber; the air we normally breathe is 21 percent oxygen.
Quite simply, HBOT is pure oxygen that is breathed at greater
than normal atmospheric pressure. Breathing pure oxygen increases
the level of oxygen in the blood stream, which promotes wound
healing by stimulating new vascular growth, which in turn
facilitates the "normal" wound healing process in compromised
patients. It also aids in the preservation of damaged tissues
by increased oxygen delivery to injured tissue.
Each time a patient gets hyperbaric oxygen, he or she is
said to be going on a 'dive.' That is because the pressurized
environment in the chamber is equivalent to the pressure found
at depths of as much as 66 feet below sea level. The number
of dives a person needs depends on why the treatment is needed.
Emergency treatment, such as for carbon monoxide poisoning,
may require only one or two dives, while treatment for radiation
tissue damage might require 30-40 treatments. Oxygen makes
up roughly 21 percent of the air we breathe, and it is considered
a drug at increased doses and must be prescribed by a physician.
The HBOT team is one of the most experienced in West Michigan. In addition to trained registered nurses, a certified hyperbaric oxygen technician, and registered respiratory therapists who help patients heal their wounds.
 Though
hyperbaric oxygen therapy is generally considered safe and
low-risk, it is not meant to replace other reliable treatments
such as surgery and medication. It is generally prescribed
in conjunction with other treatments.
"The most common side effect to hyperbaric treatment, if
you can call it that, is ear pressure," added Ann Bobrofsky,
a patient who received hyperbaric treatment to help heal an
incision after surgery. "It is similar to going up in an airplane
or coming off a mountain. You can usually alleviate the pressure
by yawning, swallowing, or plugging your nose and blowing."
In some cases, a patient may need to get ear tubes.
The experience and commitment to wound care management has made Battle Creek Health System's Wound Healing Center a nationally recognized center of excellence in the healing of people with problems wounds.
For more information about the Wound Healing Center at Battle Creek Health System, call 269-966-8560.
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