Dr. Roger Teller said he once was somewhat skeptical of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBO). He’s now a big believer in HBO, and the doctor who supervises hyperbaric oxygen treatments for St. Elizabeth Healthcare – among only about 100 HBO centers nationwide to receive accreditation from the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Center, and the first so recognized in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.
Dr. Teller’s specialty is wound care, one of the areas in which hyperbaric oxygen has proven most effective. “It works,” he said. “With the right indication, it definitely works.”
What it is:
St. Elizabeth Healthcare describes Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy as “an essentially painless treatment in which the patient breathes 100 percent oxygen inside a pressurized chamber. The treatment quickly delivers high concentrations of oxygen into the bloodstream, which assists in the healing process of wounds and is effective in fighting certain types of infections. HBO also stimulates the growth of new blood vessels and improves circulation.” “Really, it’s pretty simple,” Dr. Teller said. “All we’re doing is using oxygen as a medicine. It super-saturates blood and body fluids with oxygen, and that oxygen does a number of important things.”
What HBO treats:
In addition to treatment of wounds that otherwise won’t heal, HBO has proven effective for patients suffering from late effects of radiation therapy, such as soft-tissue radionecrosis and osteoradionecrosis, and diabetic ulcers of the lower extremities like the feet. Among other applications are treatment of chronic refractory osteomyelitis, compromised skin grafts and flaps, and atherosclerosis of native arteries. Dr. Teller said there are about 15 approved indications for the treatment, “where there’s evidence to support its use.”
How HBO works:
“With respect to wounds, it makes white blood cells work better. With respect to infection, it kills anaerobic bacteria. What helps more than anything else is it stimulates new blood vessels to grow into tissues,” Dr. Teller said. “Once you get better, you’ve got better blood flow, so you’re getting more oxygen; the fibroblasts that are forming collagen at the base of the wound, those work better. It has a lot of beneficial effects.”
What HBO is like:
Sort of like flying in an airplane. You’ll feel the pressure change in the volume in your middle ear. As in an airplane, you can counter that sensation by swallowing (you can’t chew gum but you get a water bottle). While inside, patients lay flat on their backs; they can listen to music or watch their own TV monitor. They can communicate with technicians outside via intercom.
How long does it take?
Count on about an hour and a half in the chamber for each treatment. “It takes about 20 minutes to get you to pressure, and then you’re at pressure for the rest of the time,” Teller said. “It’s a big commitment.” Typically 30 to 60 treatments are prescribed, Teller said.
HBO’s potential:
Teller said there is anecdotal and theoretical evidence to indicate HBO may be effective in treating other conditions, from Crohn’s disease to traumatic brain injury to multiple sclerosis. But treatments are expensive (about $1,500 each), and for now are limited to those conditions which insurance companies and Medicare will cover.
Where to find it:
Hyperbaric treatment is available at St. Elizabeth Healthcare’s Patrick T. Birrer Wound Care Centers in Covington and Fort Thomas. The centers were renamed in April for Dr. Patrick Birrer, former director of wound care and hyperbaric medicine, who died after a three-year battle with esophogeal cancer.
