Hyperbaric chamber - how it treats, indications, contraindications

A pressure chamber is a technical device that is a sealed container in which increased (compression pressure chamber) or decreased (vacuum pressure chamber) air (gas) pressure can be created.

1. Pressure chamber, purpose 2. The principle of operation of the pressure chamber 3. What does the pressure chamber treat? 4. Medical pressure chamber 5. Industrial pressure chamber 6. Diving pressure chamber 7. How a session in a pressure chamber works

Hyperbaric chamber, purpose

Pressure chambers are divided according to their purpose into industrial pressure chambers and medical pressure chambers. There is also a separate purpose for diving pressure chambers, but this is a special case of medical pressure chambers.

Separately, it should be noted that modern safe pressure chambers have appeared, which are often called “ oxygen capsule ”. This is the same medical pressure chamber, only it is absolutely safe and the operating pressure is 1.3-1.5 ATA, which is almost equal to the pressure in classic medical pressure chambers.

The main advantage of oxygen capsules is safety and low cost (from 200 rubles). Hyperbaric chambers can already be installed at home or in the office, as well as rented.

Cost of the procedure in Moscow, St. Petersburg, regions

Oxygenation is provided by a number of public and private health centers. They are obliged to ensure the safety and technical serviceability of the equipment. To do this, there are certain standards that must be observed. You can check with the reception desk about the presence of a pressure chamber in the hospital. You can also find out where this device is available there.

The cost of oxygenation may vary depending on the level of medical facility and the region where the service is provided. In general, its price ranges from 400 to 4000 rubles. in one procedure. Efficiency depends on the quality of the initial examination and regular monitoring of the doctor’s compliance with the prescription.

To compare prices, the table shows several clinics providing this service:

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a procedure that has a number of indications and contraindications. But it cannot be denied that with its help you can get rid of some diseases and their consequences. Therefore, it is important to use a pressure chamber under the guidance of a specialist and in his direction, like any other medical device.

Article design: Mila Friedan

Operating principle of a pressure chamber

The operating principle of a pressure chamber is that a certain pressure of the air-gas mixture is created in a confined space.

To begin with, the patient is placed in a pressure chamber. If there is an oxygen atmosphere inside, then all safety measures must be applied - no synthetics, cosmetics, electronic devices, etc. The oxygen atmosphere is quite dangerous; a fire or explosion is possible.

Then an air-gas mixture under pressure is supplied to the pressure chamber. The pressure rises smoothly so that there is time to “blow out” - the ears can become blocked, which can lead to barotrauma.

The pressure inside the pressure chamber is set according to the course of treatment - from 1.1 ATA to 2-3 ATA . This is up to about 30 meters underwater.

In fact, the result is a ventilated closed space - the required air-gas mixture is supplied on one side, and waste comes out on the other. During operation, the valves hiss loudly.

At the end of the session, the pressure is released - also smoothly.

General healing effect of treatment

Oxygen is the basis of the human body. It is involved in all vital processes in the body and affects mental activity.

The metropolis dictates its own living conditions, which are very stressful for the body: lack of fresh air, reduced physical activity, large crowds of people in small spaces - all this negatively affects the physical condition of residents of cities with a population of over a million. Chronic fatigue, systematic or chronic stress, poor sleep, frequent headaches, metabolic disorders due to poor nutrition, weak immunity - all these unpleasant symptoms indicate that the body is in uncomfortable conditions.

Treatment sessions in a pressure chamber will partially or completely eliminate the symptoms described above and compensate for the lack of oxygen in everyday life.

Medical pressure chamber

A medical pressure chamber is a medical equipment that looks like a bathyscaphe. The client is placed in the pressure chamber lying or sitting; he just needs to be there and inhale oxygen-enriched air. The pressure and oxygen concentration inside the chamber are controlled by sensors and special valves. These indicators are monitored by a doctor or other specialist. The pressure chamber creates conditions similar to diving approximately five to ten meters below sea level. During the procedure, ear congestion may occur. Hyperbaric oxygenation is carried out in a course of 10 to 40 procedures. The duration of one session is from twenty minutes to one hour.

Even 50-60 years ago, many saw and used classic medical pressure chambers - large metal cylinders similar to a bathyscaphe. They come in single and multi-seat types.

Single pressure chambers of small diameter, the person there is horizontal and almost motionless. During the session, you can sleep or watch TV - it is usually hung on the wall or ceiling so that it can be seen.

Multi-person pressure chambers are designed for groups of 4-20 people. There are very few such pressure chambers; they are mainly located in large clinics and hospitals, research centers and in the cosmonaut training center. You can also find these among divers and divers.

Modern safe personal pressure chambers

Modern safe personal pressure chambers are an innovative product with roots in military development and materials science. As a rule, these pressure chambers operate at safe and comfortable pressures of up to 1.3 ATA (in medical pressure chambers the pressure is usually at least 1.5 ATA), it is possible to place them at home or in the office, they do not require special operating conditions and can be operated by anyone.

The latest models allow you to use the pressure chamber even if you have claustrophobia or panic attacks, because... the special shape of the capsule “removes” the walls to a considerable distance. For example, such a capsule is available in the premium brand RJS:

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Scientists from the Opelousas General Health System hospital assessed the effectiveness of hyperboric oxygen therapy in severe forms of coronavirus infection. They published an article on the use of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO), a method of saturating human biological tissues with oxygen under high pressure in special pressure chambers. Doctors studied the condition of COVID-positive patients hospitalized between April 13 and 20. Five people were diagnosed with a severe form of the disease, and they were indicated for pulmonary intubation on mechanical ventilation.

To prevent invasive intervention, each of these patients received from one to six procedures in pressure chambers. “All patients recovered without the need for mechanical ventilation. After HBOT, oxygen saturation increased and inflammatory markers decreased. At the time of writing, three of the five patients have been discharged from the hospital, and two remain in stable condition,” the publication said. Thus, researchers in a small sample of patients were able to show a significant improvement in their well-being with the help of HBOT.

baro

Patient Anna Ivakina, who recovered from coronavirus infection COVID-19, in the office of the A. I. Burnazyan Medical Biophysical Center before undergoing a treatment session in a pressure chamber

Photo: RIA Novosti/Ilya Pitalev

This is a reasonable therapeutic technique that allows one to avoid the use of artificial lung ventilation devices, Russian experts believe. In the case of COVID-19, invasive interventions are not always effective due to the specific pathogenesis of the disease, Mikhail Shchelkanov, head of the laboratory of the ecology of microorganisms at the School of Biomedicine of the Far Eastern Federal University (FEFU), told Izvestia.

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— HBOT is an underrated method, although it can produce absolutely amazing results. It would be better to introduce it into clinical practice,” the expert noted.

How does a session in a pressure chamber work?

The whole session is very simple and comfortable; in modern hyperbaric chambers you can take a book, phone, tablet with you. Or just sleep.

Preparation

Take off your shoes, take a lollipop, phone or book with you. And you settle into a pressure chamber.

Compression

Within 5 minutes the pressure will increase to the working pressure - 1.3 ATA. The ears will be a little stuffy, but this can be easily compensated for with lollipops

Session

40 minutes you can sleep or do your business

Decompression

Within 5 minutes the pressure will decrease to normal and you can open the pressure chamber - the session is over

Hyperbaric chamber - benefit or harm?

When carrying out hyperbaric oxygenation, the blood is saturated with oxygen much more than during normal breathing. Together with the blood flow, oxygen penetrates into various parts of the body, especially those that are in dire need of such supply. With this procedure, the body launches regenerative processes in all tissues - nervous, muscle, bone, cartilage, etc. Oxygen stimulates the normalization of fat tissue volumes. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps burn excess fat deposits.

Positive impact.

With the help of a pressure chamber you can get rid of many pathologies.

After a course of procedures the following changes occur:

blood circulation is normalized;

fungal diseases recede;

the cardiovascular system is strengthened;

the condition of diabetes mellitus of any type improves;

the body's resistance to the action of pathogenic microorganisms increases;

Positive changes are noted in diseases of a gynecological nature.

Despite the fact that a hyperbaric chamber is a method that involves treatment with pure oxygen, you must first consult with your doctor.

What does a hyperbaric chamber treat?

• Vascular pathology:
  obliterating diseases of the vessels of the extremities, trophic ulcers as a result of circulatory disorders, gas embolism of blood vessels, etc.
• Cardiac pathology:
  arrhythmic variant of coronary heart disease (CHD), angina pectoris, arrhythmias, extrasystoles, heart failure, decompensation of post-infarction conditions, intoxication with cardiac glycosides, pulmonary heart failure, etc.
• Pathology of the gastrointestinal tract:
  peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum, posthemorrhagic syndrome after gastric bleeding, intestinal diseases.
• Liver pathology:
  acute hepatitis, chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, liver failure.
• Pathology of the nervous system:
  ischemic stroke, traumatic brain injury, encephalopathy, spinal cord injury, peripheral nerve paresis.
• Poisoning:
  carbon monoxide poisoning, botulism, methemoglobin-forming substances, cyanide.
• Eye pathology:
  circulatory disorders of the retina, diabetic retinopathy, optic nerve dystrophy due to methyl alcohol poisoning.
• Pathology of the endocrine system:
  decompensated insulin-dependent diabetes, complications of diabetes, diffuse toxic goiter.
• Maxillofacial pathology:
  periodontal disease, necrotizing gingivitis and stomatitis, healing after plastic surgery.
• Gynecology:
  chronic inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs in women
  .
• Impotence: a marked improvement in sexual function in men was noted after a course of HBOT.
• Prostatitis.
• Obstetric pathology:
  intrauterine fetal hypoxia, threat of miscarriage, fetal malnutrition, immunoconflict pregnancy, pregnancy with concomitant pathology, pathology of the endocrine system in women, infertility of various etiologies.
• Pathology of newborns:
  birth asphyxia, cerebrovascular accident, hemolytic disease of the newborn, necrotizing ulcerative enterocolitis.
• Wound pathology:
  prevention of wound infection, flaccid granulating wounds, burn wound surfaces, frostbite, postoperative wounds in plastic surgery and others.
• Decompression sickness,
  air and gas embolism, decompression sickness, pulmonary barotrauma.
• Radiation injuries:
  radiation osteonecrosis, myelitis, enteritis; A special group consists of patients receiving chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer.

The pressure chamber can be used to improve the health of practically healthy people who have certain risk factors at home or at work. Such procedures are indicated for patients with risk factors for coronary heart disease, such as high blood cholesterol levels, excess body weight and low resistance to physical activity. The hyperbaric chamber will benefit people whose activities are stressful. It can be used for neuropsychic disorders and heavy physical exertion. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is indicated for patients who are exposed to electromagnetic fields, computers, mobile and other communication systems. It will help to significantly increase the nervous and physical endurance of athletes, as well as pilots, sailors and people working at heights (high-altitude assemblers, climbers, etc.).

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Hyperbaric chamber contraindications

The main contraindication for the use of a pressure chamber is:

• presence of acute respiratory disease
• epilepsy attacks
• individual oxygen intolerance
• fear of confined spaces
• pathology of the ENT organs (impaired patency of the Eustachian tubes)
• gestosis, accompanied by increased blood pressure
• hypertonic disease.

The use of a pressure chamber is contraindicated for people who have severe bronchial asthma, accompanied by manifestations of pulmonary heart failure. Such procedures are contraindicated for acute purulent ENT diseases, which are accompanied by impaired barofunction.

Contraindications to hyperbaric oxygen therapy include subcompensated heart failure, coronary heart disease and arterial hypertension resistant to therapy. Hyperbaric oxygenation is not possible if the patient has abscesses, cysts or caverns in the lungs, or with pneumothorax (in the absence of drainage).

The pressure chamber is not used for heart defects, severe liver and kidney failure, or during pregnancy. Contraindications to this procedure include the presence of fibroids in the patient (prone to bleeding), or gastric ulcers at the acute stage. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is contraindicated during exacerbation of any chronic foci of infection, including exacerbation of chronic bronchitis.

Also, such a procedure cannot be carried out in cases of obstruction of the Eustachian tubes and paranasal sinuses, or in case of hernias of various localizations (with the exception of the hiatal hernia). The hyperbaric chamber is not indicated for people suffering from the consequences of traumatic brain injury and epileptic seizures. Contraindications also include tuberculosis and cancer. Among other things, this procedure is not performed for people whose age has exceeded sixty years, and for those who suffer from claustrophobia.

A pressure chamber is an amazing device that saturates the body with a significant amount of oxygen. It will help cope with many ailments and prevent their development. But before carrying out such a procedure, you must consult a doctor.

Possible complications

The pressure chamber, the indications and contraindications of which are not all known to science, can also cause harm.

In this case, the risk of the following pathologies increases:

• myopia (the effect can go away immediately or last for several months);
• damage to lung tissue;
• injury to the middle ear;
• muscle cramps;
• the appearance of respiratory dysfunction;
• worsening the course of heart disease, as well as vascular functions;
• accumulation of fluid inside the lungs;
• damage to the membrane separating the outer and middle ear (tympanic membrane).

After the procedure, the patient should feel slight discomfort, slight ear congestion and dizziness. This is a normal reaction of the body to an increased proportion of oxygen in the inhaled air.

Pressure chamber. History of appearance.

It may come as a surprise to many that ideas about treating patients in confined spaces are over 300 years old. In 1660, R. Boyle created the first “chamber” to study the effect of “compressed” air on the body, i.e. air at pressure above atmospheric. And in 1664, Genshaw first used compressed air as a healing factor. There were positive effects, although not great, as evidenced by the fact that in Sweden, Germany, England, and Belgium, sealed rooms were created in which air was supplied under pressure.

In the 19th century, nine such pneumatic hospitals existed in Russia. The founder of HBO is considered to be the famous Dutch surgeon Borema, who in 1956, in experiments on animals, showed the possibility of their life in conditions of 100% oxygen at a pressure above atmospheric pressure, even when all their blood was replaced with a blood substitute. In Russia, the first artificial oxygenation laboratory was created in 1963; currently it is the Center (Institute) of Hyperbaric Medicine and Technology. This is how modern barotherapy appeared, which was previously limited in availability and has become possible in our time thanks to the development of high-quality technology (the creation of modern pressure chambers).

Benefits of barotherapy

The method has a wide range of positive effects. Barotherapy has an anti-inflammatory and anti-edematous effect, accelerates the formation of callus, and normalizes collagen production. So, to the question: “Hyperbaric chamber - what is it?” can be answered as follows: this is a modern technical device that is used for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, restores blood flow, promotes the proliferation of capillaries and prevents the development of osteoporosis, which has been clinically proven.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy allows you to minimize drug therapy, shorten the recovery period, help patients cope with severe chronic pathologies and significantly strengthen the immune system. It is also actively used to treat erectile dysfunction in men. HBOT shows successful results in narcology (relieves withdrawal symptoms), surgery, cosmetology, pediatrics and veterinary medicine.