Home
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)
Submitted by jason on 30 April, 2009 - 05:57
5
Your rating: None Average: 5 (1 vote)
Treatment Category: 
Alternative Medicine
Treatment Summary: 

A patient who is having Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is put into a hyperbaric chamber and is exposed to pressure that is greater than the pressure outside. The patient is fitted with a mask and oxygen is breathed at the ambient pressure. This causes oxygen to be forced into body tissues at 2-3 times greater pressure than normal atmospheric pressure. As a result, the amount of oxygen within the tissues increases by 10-15 times the usual amount, an increased amount of oxygen dissolves in the plasma, and the oxygen transport capacity of the blood is increased.

Potential Benefits: 
Who Might Benefit
  • People who are suffering from AVN of the hip and are in "Steinberg stage-I" of the disease.

Possible Benefits

  • Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) may lead to restoration of tissue oxygenation and reduced intraosseous pressure. By reducing the intraosseous pressure, venous drainage is restored, and microcirculation is improved. Increasing the oxygen in tissue promotes new collagen and the spread of fibroblasts and new capillaries. 
Potential Risks: 
Side Effects While in the Chamber
  • Patients may notice discomfort inside the ear.
  • Air may become warm inside the chamber.
  • Pitch of voice may increase while inside the chamber.

 Reported Possible Risks 

HBOT is reported to be extremely safe although some possible risks remain,  which are:

  • Barotrauma, which is similar to some diving disorders.
  • Breathing high-pressure oxygen for a extended timeframe can cause oxygen toxicity. This causes swelling of the eye lens which can cause blurred vision for two to four weeks.
  • Cataract progress may result following HBOT treatment.
  • Nausea and vomiting.
  • Sweating.
  • Dry cough.
  • Shortness of breath.
  • Chest pain.
  • Muscle twitching.
  • Occasionally, patients may develop seizure.
  • Occasionally, patients may develop vertigo.
  • Occasionally, hiccups.
  • Rare, but reported blindness from inflammation of the optic nerve.
  • Rare, but reported hallucinations and decreased level of consciousness.
 
Treatment Details: 

Case Study Findings [1]

 Patients studied

  • Patients with subchondral lesion 4 mm or more thick and/or 12.5 mm or more long.
  • 12 patients were studied and 16 hips.
  • Patients where between 19 and 54 years old.
  • Ten patients had idiopathic AVN of the head of the femur.
  • One patient was taking steroids for systemic lupus erythematosus.
  • One patient was taking steroids for chronic renal disease.

Patient Treatment

Patients had six daily sessions of HBOT each week,  resulting in a total of 100 treatments. In each session the patient breathed 100% oxygen at 2 to 2.4 atmospheres absolute in a multiplace pressure chamber for a period of 90 minutes.

Follow-up

Patient checkups were at three month intervals in the first year. Six month follow-ups were preformed in the second year. After the second year, yearly follow-ups were preformed. 

Results

  • Ten of the patients who were not taking steroids were free from major symptoms, and they had movement ability similar to their unaffected side. These patients reported some mild discomfort in the affected hip.
  • The patient who was taking steroids for Lupus developed changes in the hip consistent with Stage-II AVN without degenerative changes, and the joint surface was congruous. Consistent pain was reported.
  • The patient taking steroids for renal disease had collapse of the femoral head and underwent total hip replacement.
     
The MRI findings showed that of the 12.4 mm or more thick and 12.5 mm or more long lesions:
  • Nine had normal appearance.
  • One developed collapse.
  • Two were unchanged at Staqe II.

Compared to the untreated test group, the likelihood of irreversibility of the lesion was 25% (75% success rate). Planned identical interval follow-ups were not conducted, so recovery time is not pinpointed. However, in 13 femoral heads, the MRI showed normal after 3 to 24 months.

References
[1] N.D. Reis, O. Schwartz, D. Militianu, Y.Ramon, D. Levin, D. Norman, Y. Melamed, A. Shupak, D. Golsher, C. Zinman. The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, VOL. 85-B, No. 3, April 2003. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a treatment for stage-I,avascular necrosis of the femoral head.
[2] Sutuspun Krajonboon, MD, Shakti R. Paul, MD, "Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy". Retrieved on 2009-04-27.
[3] Aurora Health Care, "Hyperbaric medicine". Retrieved on 2009-04-27.

»
;
   
 
Become a member Log in to your account About Us