A new study just published on Feb 2011 in the journal of cancer makes a strong argument for applying hyperbaric oxygenation therapy (HBOT) for those patients who have had either surgery or radiation therapy for brain tumors. The study followed patients who had been treated with HBOT and there was a marked improvement in cognitive [...]
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Hyperbaric Oxygen for Sports Medicine
In recent years, professional and college teams have started using hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2) to treat sports injuries. From muscle contusions and ankle sprains to delayed-onset muscle soreness, HBO2 has been used to facilitate soft-tissue healing (1-7). To minimize the time between injury and HBO2 treatment, some professional sports teams have on-site centers. Because of the importance of oxygen in the aerobic energy system, many athletes and researchers have also investigated the possible ergogenic effects of HBO2.
Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) is used in a sports medicine setting to reduce hypoxia and edema and appears to be particularly effective for treating crush injuries and acute traumatic peripheral ischemias. When used clinically, HBO2 should be considered as an adjunctive therapy as soon as possible after injury diagnosis.
During HBO2 treatment, a patient breathes 95% to 100% oxygen at pressures above 1.0 atmosphere absolute (ATA). Normally, 97% of the oxygen delivered to body tissues is bound to hemoglobin, while only 3% is dissolved in the plasma. At sea level, barometric pressure is 1 ATA, or 760 mm Hg, and the partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (PaO2) is approximately 100 mm Hg. At rest, the tissues of the body consume about 5 mL of O2 per 100 mL of blood. During HBO2 treatments, barometric pressures are usually limited to 3 ATA or lower. The oxygen content of inspired air in the chamber is typically 95% to 100%. The combination of increased pressure (3 ATA) and increased oxygen concentration (100%) dissolves enough oxygen in the plasma alone to sustain life in a resting state. Under hyperbaric conditions, oxygen content in the plasma is increased from 0.3 to 6.6 mL per 100 mL of blood with no change in oxygen transport via hemoglobin. HBO2 at 3.0 ATA increases oxygen delivery to the tissues from 20.0 to 26.7 mL of O2 per 100 mL of blood.
Proposed Healing Mechanisms
Increased oxygen delivery to the tissues is believed to facilitate healing through a number of mechanisms.
Vasoconstriction. High tissue oxygen concentrations cause blood vessels to constrict, which can lead to a 20% decrease in regional blood flow (10). In normoxic environments, tissue hypoxia may develop; however, this is not the case with HBO2. The decrease in regional blood flow is more than compensated for by the increased plasma oxygen that reaches the tissue. The net effect is decreased tissue inflammation without hypoxia–a mechanism by which hyperbaric oxygen therapy is believed to improve crush injuries, thermal burns, and compartment syndrome (11,12).
Neovascularization and epithelialization. High tissue oxygen concentrations accelerate the development of new blood vessels (12). This can be induced in both acute and chronic injuries. Regenerating epithelial cells also function more effectively in a high-oxygen environment (13). These effects have proven effective in treating tissue ulcers and skin grafts (14).
Stimulation of fibroblasts and osteoclasts. In a hypoxic milieu, fibroblasts are unable to synthesize collagen, and osteoclasts are unable to lay down new bone (7,14,15). Collagen deposition, wound strength, and the rate of wound healing are affected by the amount of available oxygen. Ischemic areas of wounds benefit most from the increased delivery of oxygen (16). HBO2 increases tissue levels of oxygen, allowing for fibroblasts and osteoclasts to function appropriately (13,17). This mechanism may play a role in the treatment of osteomyelitis and slowly healing fractures.
Immune response. When tissue oxygen tensions fall below 30 mm Hg, host responses to infection and ischemia are compromised (18). Studies have shown that the local tissue resistance to infection is directly related to the level of oxygen found in the tissue (19,20). High oxygen concentrations may prevent the production of certain bacterial toxins and may kill certain anaerobic organisms such as Clostridium perfringens. More important, however, oxygen aids polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN). Oxygen is believed to aid the migration and phagocytic function of the PMN (21). Oxygen is converted within the PMN into toxic substrates (superoxides, peroxides, and hydroxyl radicals) that are lethal to bacteria (16,22). These effects on the immune system allow HBO2 to aid the healing of soft-tissue infections and osteomyelitis (21).
HBO2 has also been found to inhibit PMN adherence on postcapillary venules (23). Although this may seem paradoxic, this effect is beneficial because it helps limit reperfusion injury after crush injury and compartment syndrome.
Maintaining high-energy phosphate bonds. When circulation to a wound is compromised, resultant ischemia lowers the concentration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and increases lactic acid levels. ATP is necessary for ion and molecular transport across cell membranes and maintainance of cellular viability (24,25). Increased oxygen delivery to the tissue with HBO2 may prevent tissue damage by decreasing the tissue lactic acid level and helping maintain the ATP level. This may help prevent tissue damage in ischemic wounds and reperfusion injuries.
HBO2 is an effective treatment for crush injuries and other acute traumatic peripheral ischemias because it alleviates hypoxia and reduces edema; however, clinical experience with HBO2 for sports injuries is limited. Also, the criteria for using HBO2 in acute traumatic peripheral ischemias are not clearly established. HBO2 should be considered as an adjunctive therapy as soon as possible after injury diagnosis. Treatment pressures for acute traumatic peripheral ischemia range from 2.0 to 2.5 ATA, with a minimum of 90 minutes for each treatment (26).
HBO2 has been used to treat joint, muscle, ligament, and tendon injuries in soccer players in Scotland. When HBO2 was used in conjunction with physiotherapy, the time to recovery was reduced by 70% (27). The results compared a physiotherapist’s estimation of the time course for the injury and the actual number of training days missed. The absence of a control group and objective measures to assess the injury weaken the encouraging findings in this study.
HBO2 has been used to treat acute ankle injuries. Borromeo et al (1) conducted a randomized double-blind study of 32 patients who had acute ankle sprains to compare HBO2 treatment at 2.0 ATA with a placebo treatment. Each group received three treatments: one for 90 minutes and two for 60 minutes. The improvement in joint function was greater in the HBO2 group compared with the placebo group. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups when assessed for subjective pain, edema, passive or active range of motion, or time to recovery. Study limitations included an average delay of 34 hours from the time of injury to diagnosis, administration of only three treatments within 7 days, treatment pressure of only 2.0 ATA, and short treatment duration.References
Effects of hyperbaric oxygen and platelet derived growth factor on
medial collateral ligament fibroblasts.
Undersea Hyperb Med. 2007 May-Jun; 34(3):181-90; Chan YS, Chen AC, Yuan LJ, Lin SS, Yang CY, Lee MS, Ueng SW. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, 5, Fu-Hsing St. 333, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
PURPOSE: This study investigated hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) and platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB) to determine their combined effects on fibroblasts from rabbit medial collateral ligament (MCL). METHOD: Cells were divided into four groups: (I) Control, (II) HBO2 treatment, (III) PDGF-BB treatment and (IV) HBO2 combined with PDGF-BB treatment. All hyperoxic cells were exposed to 100% O2 at 2.5 atmospheres absolute (ATA) in a hyperbaric chamber for 120 minutes per 48 hours. Measurement of cell growth was based on increase in cell number. Cell cycle modulations were analyzed by fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). Quantity of Type I and Type III collagen was determined by western blotting and image analyzer. RESULTS: Treatment doses of HBO2 alone or PDGF-bb alone dependently increased cell growth. A combination of HBO2 treatment plus PDGF-bb treatment had an additive effect on cell growth in comparison with HBO2 treatment alone or PDGF-bb treatment alone. FACS analysis revealed that HBO2 alone, PDGF-bb alone and PDGF-bb plus HBO2 treatment increase the percentage of cells accumulated in S-phase. Western blotting analysis revealed that Type III collagen content was decreased significantly after HBO2 treatment alone or HBO2 plus PDGF-bb treatment but not in PDGF-bb treatment alone. In contrast, although Type I collagen content was increased after HBO2 treatment, the increase in Type I collagen (increase /original) was not statistically significant. CONCLUSION: HBO2 or HBO2 plus PDGF-bb treatment decreases the Type III collagen/Type I collagen content, which could result in mechanically stronger collagen fibrils. We propose HBO2 therapy as a potentially effective treatment for MCL healing.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in athletic injuries
Cas Lek Cesk. 2002 May 24;141(10):304-6.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO2) may play an important role in management of sport injuries: in football and hockey players, and after other sport activities. When HBO2 is applied together with physical therapy and rehabilitation procedures, it can accelerate the healing and thus to decrease the costs of treatment.
Hyperbaric oxygen as an adjuvant for athletes
Sports Med. 2005;35(9):739-46
Ishii Y, Deie M, Adachi N, Yasunaga Y, Sharman P, Miyanaga Y, Ochi M.; Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan. yoishii@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
There has recently been a resurgence in interest in hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment in sports therapy, especially in Japan. Oxygen naturally plays a crucial role in recovery from injury and physiological fatigue. By performing HBO treatment, more oxygen is dissolved in the plasma of the pulmonary vein via the alveolar, increasing the oxygen reaching the peripheral tissues. HBO treatment is therefore expected to improve recovery from injury and fatigue. HBO treatment has been reported to reduce post-injury swelling in animals, and in humans; swelling was also mitigated, but to a lesser extent. Positive results have also been reported regarding tissue remodelling after injury, with injuries involving bones, muscles and ligaments showing improved recovery. Furthermore, HBO treatment has effectively increased recovery from fatigue. This was clearly seen at the Nagano Winter Olympics, where sports players experiencing fatigue were successfully treated, enabling the players to continue performing in the games. Despite its potential, HBO treatment does have its risks. Increasing oxygen levels in tissues poses a risk to DNA through oxidative damage, which can lead to pathological changes in the CNS and the lungs. Regarding the operating of HBO systems, safer administration should be advised. Further research into HBO treatment is required if this therapy is to become more widespread. It should become possible to tailor treatment to an individual’s condition in order to use HBO treatment efficiently.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for lower-extremity soft-tissue sports
injuries.
J Am Podiatr Med Assoc. 2003 Jul-Aug;93(4):298-306. Kanhai A, Losito JM. Parkway Regional Medical Center, North Miami Beach, FL, USA.
Lower-extremity injuries have become increasingly common as sports performance demands have risen. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is one method used to return athletes to competition as quickly as possible, but it has received criticism and lacks support. This review examines the literature on hyperbaric oxygen therapy and soft-tissue sports injuries. In the various studies, the location of the injury seemed to influence the effectiveness of treatment. Injuries at areas of reduced perfusion such as muscle-tendon junctions and ligaments seemed to benefit more from hyperbaric oxygen treatment than injuries at the muscle belly. Differences in the magnitude of the injury and in the time between injury and treatment may also affect outcomes. The authors sought to explore these variables as they relate to soft-tissue sports injuries and to weigh the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen therapy against its potential risks and high cost. More randomized controlled clinical trials with larger sample sizes must be conducted before hyperbaric oxygen can be established as a safe adjunctive therapy for soft-tissue sports injuries.
Using recovery modalities between training sessions in elite athletes:
does it help?
Sports Med. 2006;36(9):781-96.
Barnett A. Centre of Excellence for Applied Sport Science Research, Queensland Academy of Sport, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. abarnett@hku.hk
Achieving an appropriate balance between training and competition stresses and recovery is important in maximising the performance of athletes. A wide range of recovery modalities are now used as integral parts of the training programmes of elite athletes to help attain this balance. This review examined the evidence available as to the efficacy of these recovery modalities in enhancing between-training session recovery in elite athletes. Recovery modalities have largely been investigated with regard to their ability to enhance the rate of blood lactate removal following high-intensity exercise or to reduce the severity and duration of exercise-induced muscle injury and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Neither of these reflects the circumstances of between-training session recovery in elite athletes. After high-intensity exercise, rest alone will return blood lactate to baseline levels well within the normal time period between the training sessions of athletes. The majority of studies examining exercise-induced muscle injury and DOMS have used untrained subjects undertaking large amounts of unfamiliar eccentric exercise. This model is unlikely to closely reflect the circumstances of elite athletes. Even without considering the above limitations, there is no substantial scientific evidence to support the use of the recovery modalities reviewed to enhance the between-training session recovery of elite athletes. Modalities reviewed were massage, active recovery, cryotherapy, contrast temperature water immersion therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, compression garments, stretching, electromyostimulation and combination modalities. Experimental models designed to reflect the circumstances of elite athletes are needed to further investigate the efficacy of various recovery modalities for elite athletes. Other potentially important factors associated with recovery, such as the rate of post-exercise glycogen synthesis and the role of inflammation in the recovery and adaptation process, also need to be considered in this future assessment.
Effect of hyperbaric oxygen on the ligament healing process in rats
Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2004 Jun;(423):268-74. Mashitori H, Sakai H, Koibuchi N, Ohtake H, Tashiro T, Tamai K, Saotome K. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan.
Animal experiments were done to investigate whether administration of hyperbaric oxygen promotes scar tissue formation, increases expression of the Type I procollagen gene, and improves the tensile properties of healing ligament. In 76 Sprague-Dawley rats, a 2-mm segment of the medial collateral ligament was removed. Thirty-eight rats were exposed to hyperbaric oxygen at 2.5 atmospheres absolute for 2 hours 5 days per week (Group H), whereas the remaining rats were exposed to room air (Group C). The animals were sacrificed at 3, 7, 14, and 28 days postoperatively. In situ hybridization histochemistry was done to examine the Type I procollagen gene expression in healing ligaments in 40 rats, whereas a tensile failure test was done in the remaining rats. The amount of scar tissue was greater in Group H than in Group C. Type I procollagen gene expression at 7 or 14 days was significantly greater in Group H than in Group C. The ultimate load and stiffness in Group H were significantly greater than in Group C at 14 days. Administration of hyperbaric oxygen promotes scar tissue formation and increases Type I procollagen gene expression in healing ligaments. These effects are associated with the improvement of their tensile properties
Effects of different exposures of hyperbaric oxygen on ligament healing
in rats
J Orthop Res. 2002 Mar;20(2):353-6 Ishii Y, Ushida T, Tateishi T, Shimojo H, Miyanaga Y. Tissue Engineering Research Center, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan. yoshi.ishii@aist.go.jp
Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) is a method of augmenting, intermittently, oxygen availability to tissues. We examined the effect of three different HBO exposures on the healing of experimentally induced ligament lacerations in the right hind limb of 44 male Wistar rats. Animals were divided into four groups after ligament injury: (a) control group, animals breathed room air at 1 ATA (atmosphere absolute) in a hyperbaric chamber for 60 min; (b) HBO treatment at 1.5 ATA for 30 min once a day, (c) HBO treatment at 2 ATA for 30 min once a day, (d) 2 ATA for 60 min once a day. At 14 days post-ligament injury, we compared the ligaments of the four treatment groups for gross appearance, histology and expression of pro-alpha(I) mRNA by northern hybridization. Our results indicate that HBO was effective in promoting ligament healing compared to control (p < 0.01). Of these three exposures, HBO at 2 ATA for 60 min was the most effective, resulting in enhanced extra-cellular matrix deposition as measured by collagen synthesis.
Effects of hyperbaric oxygen on proliferation and differentiation of
osteoblasts from human alveolar bone
Connect Tissue Res. 2007;48(4):206-13. Wu D, Malda J, Crawford R, Xiao Y. Bone Tissue Engineering Lab, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia.
In view of the controversy of the clinical use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) treatment to stimulate fracture healing and bone regeneration, we have analyzed the effects of daily exposure to HBO on the proliferation and differentiation of human osteoblasts in vitro. HBO stimulated proliferation when osteoblasts were cultured in 10% fetal calf serum (FCS), whereas an inhibitory effect of HBO was observed when cultures were supplemented with 2% FCS. On the other hand, HBO enhanced biomineralization with an increase in bone nodule formation, calcium deposition, and alkaline phosphatase activity, whereas no cytotoxic effect was detected using a lactate dehydrogenase activity assay. The data suggest that the exposure of osteoblasts to HBO enhances differentiation toward the osteogenic phenotype, providing cellular evidence of the potential application of HBO in fracture healing and bone regeneration.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy facilitates surgery on complex open elbow
injuries: preliminary results.
J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2007 Jul-Aug;16(4):454-60. Epub 2007 May 15. Huang KC, Tsai YH, Hsu RW. Hyperbaric Medicine Center, Pu-Tz City, Taiwan. kc2672@adm.cgmh.org.tw
Complex open elbow injuries present a significant challenge to orthopaedic surgeons because of the poor potential for achieving a good functional level, even given good anatomic realignment. Associated massive soft-tissue damage impedes surgical fixation, delays rehabilitation, and therefore, further deteriorates the functional outcome. We studied a prospective, consecutive series of 16 patients with complex open elbow injuries who were treated with a combination of treatment modalities including early bony stabilization, debridement of soft tissue, and early coverage. The treatment protocol also used hyperbaric oxygen therapy to facilitate immediate internal fixation. The median value of the Mangled Extremity Severity Score was 5.5 (range, 3-10). Successful reconstruction was achieved in all 16 patients. No deep infection occurred, but there were 3 self-limited superficial infections. The average elbow functional result at 12 months after surgery, based on the Mayo score system, was good (mean value, 80.9; range, 55-100). Of the patients, 75% achieved satisfactory functional results for the elbow. The results of this study demonstrate that the studied treatment protocol provides a promising alternative for managing these complex open elbow injuries.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of open fractures and
crush injuries
Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2007 Feb;25(1):177-88. Buettner MF, Wolkenhauer D. Great River Wound and Hyperbaric Clinic, Center for Rehabilitation, 1401 West Agency Road, West Burlington, IA 52655, USA. mbuettner@pol.net
This article focuses on the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOt) in the treatment of open fractures and crush injuries. Based on the clinical evidence and cost analysis, medical institutions that treat open fracture and crush injuries are justified in incorporating HBOt as a standard of care. Both Medicare and Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society guidelines list crush injuries as an approved indication for HBOt. Emergency physicians should familiarize themselves with this emerging treatment modality because of their role in the early management of these injuries.
Effects of hyperbaric oxygen on gene expressions of procollagen,
matrix metalloproteinase and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase in
injured medial collateral ligament and anterior cruciate ligament.
Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2007 Apr;15(4):443-52. Takeyama N, Sakai H, Ohtake H, Mashitori H, Tamai K, Saotome K. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Dokkyo University School of Medicine, Tochigi, Japan.
Animal experiments were performed to investigate whether and how the administration of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) affects gene expressions of procollagens, matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in injured medial collateral ligament (MCL) and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). In 64 Sprague-Dawley rats, the MCL of the left knee was lacerated at the midsubstance, and the ACL of the left knee was lacerated adjacent to the tibial insertion in another 64 rats. Of these, 32 rats with lacerated MCL and 32 rats with lacerated ACL were housed in individual cages at normal atmospheric pressure (Groups MC and AC, respectively), while the remaining 64 rats were exposed to 100% oxygen at 2.5 atmospheres absolute for 2 h for 5 days a week (Groups MH and AH, respectively). Rats were sacrificed at 3, 7, 14 and 28 days postoperatively. After macroscopic examination, bilateral MCLs were harvested from Groups MC and MH, and bilateral ACLs from Groups AC and AH. Total RNA was extracted from each specimen and gene expressions of type I and type III procollagens, MMP-2, -9 and -3, and TIMP-1 and -2 were estimated using semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Macroscopically, lacerated MCL healed by scar tissue formation, the amount of which appeared to be greater in Group MH than in Group MC. In contrast, no lacerated ACLs united, and little, if any, differences were apparent in macroscopic findings between Groups AH and AC. Gene expression of type I procollagen was significantly greater in Group MH than in Group MC at 7 days postoperatively and was also significantly greater in Group AH than in Group AC at 28 days (P<0.05). No significant differences in type III procollagen gene expression were noted between Groups MH and MC or between Groups AH and AC. In addition, no significant differences in gene expressions of MMPs were seen in either ligament, except that gene expression of MMP-13 was significantly lower at 7 days in Group MH than in Group MC (P<0.05). Gene expressions of TIMPs did not differ significantly between Groups MH and MC in each time interval, whereas gene expressions of TIMPs were significantly greater in Group AH than in Group AC at 7, 14 and 28 days for TIMP-1 and at 3, 7 and 14 days for TIMP-2 (P<0.05). RT-PCR results suggested that HBO enhances structural protein synthesis and inhibits degradative processes by enhancing TIMP activities in the lacerated ACL. However, none of the lacerated ACLs united macroscopically despite administration of HBO, indicating that the effect of HBO is insufficient for healing of the injured ACL. If HBO therapy is used as an adjunctive therapy after primary repair of the injured ACL, the success rate of surgery seems likely to be increased.
Hyperbaric oxygen induces basic fibroblast growth factor and
hepatocyte growth factor expression, and enhances blood perfusion
and muscle regeneration in mouse ischemic hind limbs.
Circ J. 2007 Mar;71(3):405-11.
Asano T, Kaneko E, Shinozaki S, Imai Y, Shibayama M, Chiba T, Ai M, Kawakami A, Asaoka H, Nakayama T, Mano Y, Shimokado K.
Geriatrics and Vascular Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University Graduate School, Tokyo, Japan.
BACKGROUND: It is not clear how hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) affects ischemia-induced pathophysiological responses such as angiogenesis and skeletal muscle regeneration. In the present study the effects of HBO on the functional and morphological recovery of ischemic hind limbs, blood perfusion and the local production of angiogenic growth factors were studied in a mouse model. METHODS AND RESULTS: Mice were placed in pure oxygen under 3 atm for 1 h/day for 14 days after the removal of a segment of the left femoral artery. HBO-treated mice showed better functional recovery and greater blood flow in the ischemic hind limb than untreated mice. Histological examination revealed unatrophied muscle fibers with islands of small regenerating muscle cells only in HBO-treated mice. Regeneration of muscle was confirmed by the increase in myf5 mRNA. The amount of mRNA for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was slightly increased in the ischemic hind limbs. HBO eliminated the increase in VEGF mRNA. In contrast, the amount of mRNA for bFGF and HGF was further increased by HBO treatment. HBO transiently increased early growth response protein 1 (Egr-1) in the ischemic hind limbs. CONCLUSIONS: HBO accelerates the recovery of ischemic hind limbs by increasing the production of bFGF and HGF and by promoting muscle regeneration in mice.
Hyperbaric oxygenation in peripheral nerve repair and regeneration
Neurol Res. 2007 Mar;29(2):184-98.
Sanchez EC.
Hyperbaric Medicine Department, Hospital Angeles del Pedregal, Mexico, DF, Mexico. crosati@medovate.com
Peripheral nerves are essential connections between the central nervous system and muscles, autonomic structures and sensory organs. Their injury is one of the major causes for severe and longstanding impairment in limb function. Acute peripheral nerve lesion has an important inflammatory component and is considered as ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. Surgical repair has been the standard of care in peripheral nerve lesion. It has reached optimal technical development but the end results still remain unpredictable and complete functional recovery is rare. Nevertheless, nerve repair is not primarily a mechanical problem and microsurgery is not the only key to success. Lately, there have been efforts to develop alternatives to nerve graft. Work has been carried out in basal lamina scaffolds, biologic and non-biologic structures in combination with neurotrophic factors and/or Schwann cells, tissues, immunosuppressive agents, growth factors, cell transplantation, principles of artificial sensory function, gene technology, gangliosides, implantation of microchips, hormones, electromagnetic fields and hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO). HBO appears to be a beneficial adjunctive treatment for surgical repair in the acute peripheral nerve lesion, when used at lower pressures and in a timely fashion (<6 hours).
Penn Study Finds Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatments Mobilize Stem Cells
DECEMBER 28, 2005
NEWS RELEASE
Recovery of Injured and Diseased Tissue the Ultimate Goal
Philadelphia, PA)- According to a study to be published in The American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulation Physiology, a typical course of hyperbaric oxygen treatments increases by eight-fold the number of stem cells circulating in a patient’s body. Stem cells, also called progenitor cells are crucial to injury repair. The study currently appears on-line and is scheduled for publication in the April 2006 edition of the American Journal. Stem cells exist in the bone marrow of human beings and animals and are capable of changing their nature to become part of many different organs and tissues. In response to injury, these cells move from the bone marrow to the injured sites, where they differentiate into cells that assist in the healing process. The movement, or mobilization, of stem cells can be triggered by a variety of stimuli – including pharmaceutical agents and hyperbaric oxygen treatments. Where as drugs are associated with a host of side effects, hyperbaric oxygen treatments carry a significantly lower risk of such effects. “This is the safest way clinically to increase stem cell circulation, far safer than any of the pharmaceutical options,” said Stephen Thom, MD, PhD, Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and lead author of the study. “This study provides information on the fundamental mechanisms for hyperbaric oxygen and offers a new theoretical therapeutic option for mobilizing stem cells.” “We reproduced the observations from humans in animals in order to identify the mechanism for the hyperbaric oxygen effect,” added Thom. “We found that hyperbaric oxygen mobilizes stem/progenitor cells because it increases synthesis of a molecule called nitric oxide in the bone marrow. This synthesis is thought to trigger enzymes that mediate stem/progenitor cell release.” Hopefully, future study of hyperbaric oxygen’s role in mobilizing stem cells will provide a wide array of treatments for combating injury and disease
Mundine blinded, may never fight again
|
2007 article WBA super middleweight world champion Anthony Mundine has sustained a freakish injury to his left eye and was told by a doctor on Tuesday in Sydney that he may never fight again. 32 year-old Mundine has a severe infection to his eye, which he apparently received from a contact lens last week while he was on a trip to New Zealand. It is possible that Mundine will only regain partial vision in the eye. A clearly distressed Mundine told the media, “Sport is a big part of my life, but I am just happy I still have my life,” he said. Known as “The Man”, Mundine spent time in a hyperbaric chamber at Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney to get more oxygen to the eye in an attempt to prevent long term permanent damage. On Tuesday, the former rugby league football player was not able to see out of his eye. Mundine 29-3 (22) won the vacant WBA title against fellow Australian Sam Soliman on March 7. In his last fight on June 27, Mundine defended his WBA belt with a twelve round points decision win over Argentine Pablo Nievas on the Gold Coast. Many experts currently consider Mundine to be the third best super middleweight in the world today behind Joe Calzaghe and Mikkel Kessler. |
Speedway youngster Billy is centre of attention
Monday 6th August 2007
BILLY Legg is back to his speedway best after following in the footsteps of David Beckham and Wayne Rooney. The 18-year-old rider from Lydiard Millicent made a speedy recovery from a broken finger with the help of the hyperbaric chamber at Swindon Therapy Centre. The Robins academy rider was appearing for Plymouth Devils at a race in Oxford in April when he suffered the injury that threatened to ruin his season. He said: “It’s the fourth finger on my left hand and I injured it last year while riding with Newport. “When I did it this time I had to have an operation and they told me I faced a lay-off of six weeks after that.” The idea of not quite being able to twiddle his thumbs while his teammates took to the track was too much for Billy, so he acted on the advice of Swindon Town director Mike Bowden. “Mike had told me about the oxygen therapy at the MS centre so I decided to give it a go.”I hated the idea of being out of competition during the season so I called them up.” Beckham and Rooney have both used oxygen tents to help repair injured metatarsal bones in the feet. Billy spoke with centre manager Jackie Wray who invited him to the centre in Cheney Manor Industrial Estate. She said: “We spoke with Billy and prescribed a set of four sessions in our oxygen chamber. “It is normally used by MS patients to improve their breathing and general health, but it has strong benefits for injury recovery too.” Billy sat in the six-person chamber which recreates the pressure of being 33ft under the surface of the water. At that pressure the oxygen he was breathing could be dissolved into the blood and get to the tissue in his finger that needed to heal. Billy said: “It was really good. After four sessions it had recovered enough for me to be able to hold onto the bike. “I’m sure it saved me three weeks’ recovery because I have had broken bones before and have been out longer.” Billy made a generous contribution for his treatment, which is what the therapy centre relies on for its continued existence. Jackie said: “We get no council funding, so it would be great if we could get sports clients to support the MS work we do. “We have ambitions to move to a new location in West Swindon but that will cost us between £400,000 and £500,000. “We have actually raised close to £100,000 but it is a tremendous amount of money to collect.”I am a paid part-time employee but we also rely on volunteers to keep us going and fundraise.” To make a donation or find out more about the centre call 01793 481700, or visit www.msswindon.org.uk.
Paralyzed teen gymnast off danger list
2007-07-05 08:42
Shanghai Daily
Wang Yan raises her right arm in greeting on Wednesday at the Shanghai No. 6 People’s Hospital. The gymnast, who broke her neck and became paralyzed during the national titles in the city last month, has been moved out of intensive care into an ordinary ward but faces a long recovery. Wang Yan, the 15-year gymnast who broke her neck and became paralyzed during the national championships in the city last month, is off the critical list. Wang Yan raises her right arm in greeting on Wednesday at the Shanghai No. 6 People’s Hospital. The gymnast, who broke her neck and became paralyzed during the national titles in the city last month, has been moved out of intensive care into an ordinary ward but faces a long recovery.[Shanghai Daily] She on Wednesday began six hours of daily rehabilitation and hyperbaric oxygen therapy. She was moved out of the intensive care unit to an ordinary ward on Tuesday night, said officials from the Shanghai No. 6 People’s Hospital. ”The rehabilitation consists of training in respiratory function, muscle power, ankle mobility, turnovers, sitting, standing and walking and psychological direction,” said Tan Shensheng, vice president of the hospital. “This period of rehabilitation will last for three months.”We can’t estimate how much better she will get, nor the duration of her recovery time, but she has managed to conquer the most dangerous period.” Doctors said Wang can now breathe unassisted and has regained the ability to urinate and defecate. However, while she has regained partial movement on the left side, her right side remains paralyzed. Wang, a member of the Zhejiang Provincial team, became comatose at the seventh National Gymnastics Championship on June 10 after landing head-first on the mat after her dismount from the uneven bars. Her second and third vertebrae were fractured. When she arrived at the hospital, she had lost all feeling below the chest and had lost control of her bodily waste functions. Doctors gave immediate and wide-ranging treatment, with first emphasis on her breathing as 98.5 percent of patients with similar spinal injuries can die of respiratory failure. Surgery was conducted on June 19 to repair the fractures. Wang is not the first Chinese gymnast to suffer from crippling injuries during competition. Sang Lan, a former member of the national women’s gymnastics team, suffered spinal injuries at the Goodwill Games in Long Island, New York, in 1998 and has been wheelchair-bound since.
More on Ndungane’s chest injury
| Thursday, August 23, 2007 | |
Bok wing, Akona Ndungane, has been sent home and will soon be receiving medical treatment in Cape Town after bruising his chest muscles, according to the South African Rugby Union (SARU). Is this type of injury serious and is it common among rugby players? Health24 investigated: Chest injuries not so common. According to SARU’s medical manager, Dr Ismail Jakoet, chest injuries aren’t one of the most common injuries in rugby players. “A chest injury usually comes about from a high-impact tackle, i.e. the player has either been tackling or has been tackled,” he says. He notes that, as with most rugby injuries which are not too serious, the RICE treatment is generally used. This stands for rest (R), ice (I), compression (C) and elevation (E), and is an immediate treatment used to reduce swelling and inflammation. “In the case of a chest injury, elevation is not really possible, but the ice and rest are the most important treatments to perform immediately after such an injury,” Jakoet says. Treatment of injury The follow-up treatment depends on the severity of the injury. Jakoet claims that if there’s bruising, further treatment is seldom required, although sometimes the player is sent to the physiotherapist where an ultrasound is carried out. “There’s also a new treatment used by some professionals called hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which means the player gets put into an oxygen chamber which speeds up the healing process,” he says. If the injury is more severe, such as fractured ribs, Jakoet says that the player would be strapped up and given painkillers. “But no matter what the injury to the chest is, the key to a full and speedy recovery is rest.
New help for divers – and footballers19 December 2007 by: STEPHEN PULLINGER A Norfolk hospital yesterday took delivery of a £260,000 hyperbaric chamber which will offer treatment used by top Premiership footballers to speed up healing as well as divers with the bends. The 16-tonne chamber – the only one of its type in the East of England – was lifted into position at Gorleston’s James Paget University Hospital, using one of the largest cranes in the UK. The high-tech equipment, delivered in a public-private initiative with London Hyperbaric and Wound Healing Centres, will help patients with a range of chronic conditions, from difficult-to-heal wounds to circulation problems resulting from diabetes, by giving them pure oxygen delivered under higher-than-normal air pressure inside the chamber. Philip Sayers, managing-director of the independent health care provider, said their facility at Whipps Cross Hospital in London had been used to treat West Ham United footballers, and it had enabled Argentine forward Carlos Tevez – since moved to Manchester United – to make an astonishing recovery from injury to play in a vital relegation clash earlier this year. The hospital’s previous smaller chamber, used only to treat divers suffering from the bends, was winched away in the same operation. IMPS PRAISE ‘AIR AID’05 January 2008 Lincoln City footballers are praising the effects a hyperbaric oxygen chamber has had in helping them to recover from injuries. The players have been trying out the new therapy, originally designed for MS sufferers, and club physiotherapists say in some cases it has halved recovery times from injuries. The club’s head physiotherapist Michael Wait said: “Some players from Manchester United, including Wayne Rooney, have used hyperbaric oxygen therapy and I think Arsenal players have as well, but it is rare in the lower divisions.” In return for their help, Lincoln City have been fund-raising for the Lincolnshire MS therapy centre, which treats around 50 MS sufferers a week but relies entirely on donations. Patients in the chamber breathe pure oxygen through a mask, while the chamber is pressurised to the equivalent of 16ft below sea level. The combination of pressure and pure oxygen means that more oxygen gets in to the bloodstream and helps cells repair themselves quicker, thus increasing recovery time and avoiding scar tissue. Can oxygen breathe life into Rooney’s World Cup hopes?02/05/2006
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Pies fly low in search for an edge
September 16, 2007; Michael Gleeson and Carley Jellett
COLLINGWOOD rarely flies under the radar but the Magpies’ choice to fly home in a chartered jet at their convenience after Friday night’s emotional extra-time victory over West Coast allowed them to do just that. The fresh-looking Magpie players laughed and joked as they disembarked from the chartered OzJet 737 yesterday morning, It flew from Perth to Melbourne at about 20,000 feet and players were allowed to receive massages mid-air. While the club admits the benefits of the $50,000 charter flight was as much psychological as physiological, it would seek to take any help it could get to recover after a draining win on the biggest ground in the competition. Conditioning coach David Buttifant said the convenience of flying at a time of their choosing and to be able to spread out on the plane without fear of upsetting other passengers was an enormous benefit. Buttifant said that history had shown that many players struggle to sleep after evening matches, so flying immediately after games was preferable if it allowed players to more quickly re-establish their routines. “The great advantage was we could do things in our own time,” he said. “The match went into extra time so we didn’t have to rush for flights, we went back to the hotel and could do our hydro recovery in the pool, have something to eat and go to the plane. “On the plane we were able to put some mats down and players could get iced up and have a massage and stretch out on the floor or across several seats to stretch and we didn’t have to worry about upsetting other passengers.” Collingwood doctor Paul Blackman said that being able to fly at a lower altitude was undoubtedly preferable and had a better impact on recovery. “Anyone who has flown knows that when you fly long distances, your legs swell up and that is not going to help you recover,” Blackman said. He said that flights at high altitude had a thinner oxygen level, while players in recovery tried to have a saturated oxygen level — such as occurs in hyperbaric chambers — so flying at a lower altitude had a beneficial effect on recovery times. The other psychological benefit of the chartered flight, Buttifant said, was the wide-eyed excited reaction from the players on learning of the flight. The plane was flown at between 19,000 and 21,000 feet — as opposed to the regular 35,000 feet. Collingwood’s football operations chief Geoff Walsh explained the jet meant there was no pressure with catching the scheduled flight. “We did that because the schedule getting out of Perth after a night game is pretty tight,” Walsh said
Neil Warnock: What I’ve Learnt This Week
Saturday, 19 April 2008 DAVID ASHDOWN
1. We know only too well why the therapy centre we use deserves the oxygen of publicity
The treatment of football injuries has come a long way since the days when I would lie on the couch at Chesterfield while Ollie Thompson, the physio, rubbed Algipan into my legs in between drawing heavily on the fag he was always smoking. If it was a bad injury he would place his Anglepoise lamp low over the affected area to increase the heat. Then he’d say, “Run it off.”Later I experienced ultrasound and electrode pads but a lot of places still went in for the hot and cold – a bucket of hot water, a bucket of cold. You took turns putting your ankle in one, then the other. Now, when one of my players has a muscular injury I send them to the hyperbaric oxygen chamber at the Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Unit at Swanley. I first came across this treatment in Sheffield, where the Sheffield MS Society has its own. I was involved with the society as I’ve always been aware of MS, because my mum suffered from it. I found it amazing how quickly muscle injuries improved with sessions in the chamber. Some players find it daunting. They have to put on an oxygen mask and breathe pure oxygen while the chamber is pressurised. Our physio, Nigel Cox, tells me it’s the equivalent of diving to 33 feet. Your ears pop and so on and you are stuck in there for an hour and a half but you can read, use an iPod or Playstation or watch a DVD. The injury is flooded with oxygen, driving nutrients into the area. That’s what Nigel tells me, anyway. All I know is that it works. Victor Moses was injured at West Brom a few weeks ago. He felt so much improvement after a couple of sessions that after getting a knock at Stoke, he asked if he could have another go. He then made both goals in our win over Scunthorpe on Saturday; I doubt he would have been fit without the treatment. It’s just a shame there was nothing like it in my mum’s day. There was a lot of talk about a Russian vaccine but it came to nothing. The doctors just said: “You have to have faith.” There was no relief from the misery. When you know you are not going to get any better, you get depressed. Swanley have an open day next Saturday. I would have gone along but we’ve got a rather important match at Hull. We will be sending an injured player and some prizes for the raffle. Have a look at the website www.swanleytherapycentre.org if you want to go along.
Thorman faces anxious late call
May 1 2008 by Chris Roberts, Huddersfield Daily Examiner
GIANTS captain Chris Thorman has been spending the week in a hyperbaric chamber in a last desperate bid to be fit for Saturday’s clash against Warrington at the Millennium Stadium (3.00). The goalkicking utility back missed the 28-20 weekend Super League defeat at Hull with a dead leg and is a major doubt for the trip to Cardiff. Thorman knows time is against him. But he is determined to play if at all possible in a bid to help Huddersfield return to winning League ways. “Watching last week was absolute agony,” said Thorman. “We obviously need to start picking up the wins again to help us climb back up the League table, and not being able to help probably hurts more than the injury itself. “But there’s no way I could have played at Hull at the weekend. “I’ve been trying to play with the injury for a couple of weeks now, and all it’s doing is making it worse. “It’s now a case that every hit I’m taking to the quad muscle is making it worse and the muscle is starting to turn to bone. “That’s the worse thing that could happen. It restricts you so much. “So all I can do is rest up and wait for the injury to clear. “And the most effective way of doing that is spending some time in a hyperbaric chamber, which is exactly what I’m doing now. “It may be pretty tedious just sitting in the chamber getting as much extra oxygen as possible into the muscle tissue to help it repair. “But if it means I can get back in action a bit quicker, I’m more than prepared to do it. It’s touch and go as to whether it’ll get me right for Saturday at the Millennium Stadium, but I’m afraid the odds are against it. “That would be a massive blow because it’s a fantastic venue, but it wouldn’t be right for me to play if I’m not fit. We need everyone at 100% if we’re going to stand a chance of winning.”
Injured fencer will be able to go to Olympics after hyperbaric oxygen
treatment
Jul 23, 2008 By JUDY SIEGEL-ITZKOVICH
The Israeli fencer, 27-year-old Delila Hatuel – whose participation in the Beijing Olympics was in doubt after a knee injury – is recuperating after undergoing treatment in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber at Assaf Harofeh Medical Center in Tzrifin. The edema (swelling) in her knee disappeared, said Dr. Shai Efrati, the chamber director. “She will need seven more treatments before she flies to China.” Exposure to oxygen under high pressure, he said, is very effective in treatment of wounds and trauma, as the gas speeds up the natural healing process. Sports injuries usually heal eventually, but using hyperbaric chambers speeds it up, as white cells that fight pathogens incerase in number, along with collagen cells that rebuild bone. Hyperbaric chambers look like submarines and are built with materials that are resistant to pressure. Inside, the oxygen and other gases are at a higher concentration than in ordinary air. Assaf Harofeh’s chamber is the largest in the Midele East and used to treat not only injuries but also carbon monoxide and smoke poisoning, diabetic foot, skin ulcers and diving accidents
Injured Raiders duo named in cup squad
06 March 2009
INJURY worries Liam Campbell and Andy Bracek have both boosted Barrow Raiders ahead of their Challenge Cup clash with Blackpool on Sunday, writes PAUL TURNER. The pair picked up knocks in the 12-4 victory over Widnes in the Northern Rail Cup on Wednesday, but their injuries have proved better than expected. Bracek hyper-extended his elbow late on in the game, while Campbell was unable to lift his arms after suffering a shoulder injury. But both players spent time in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber yesterday to speed their recovery and have been included in the squad for Sunday’s game. Coach Dave Clark said: “They have not been too bad. They have been in physio and in the oxygen chamber to speed up their recovery and we will give them a final evaluation on Saturday. “Andy Bracek had an x-ray on his elbow and there is no fracture or chipped bone, so it looks to be ligament or soft tissue damage and it should be short-term. “With Liam, he just jarred his shoulder, but there are no side-effects as all and he should be right for the weekend.” As well as affecting the first team, the injury situation will also play a part in the squad selected for the first game of the season for the reserves. They start out at Hunslet tomorrow in their league bow for 2009, with coach Steve Jackson confident the side will be able to kick on this year. “They are champing at the bit,” Jackson said of the players. “We will have 17 players for Saturday, but there may be one or two going into the first team. “Either way, we have got a good squad for the weekend. “I think we should have enough to beat Hunslet. “We didn’t play them last year, but with the players we have got we should be all right.” l The Raiders Bar will be open tonight at 7.30pm to show the Super League game between Huddersfield and Hull FC (8pm kick-off)
BARROW’S CAMPBELL WARNS OF PANTHERS’ BITE
07 March 2009
HIGH-FLYING half-back Liam Campbell is desperate to see some action against Blackpool Panthers tomorrow after his Challenge Cup injury jinx threatened to strike again. During the past two seasons at Workington, Campbell missed out on their cup exploits as he was not fit to play, watching as his team-mates went to Headingley to take on Super League giants Leeds Rhinos. And the 22-year-old has flirted with fate again this week after he picked up a shoulder injury in the dying minutes at Craven Park against Widnes on Wednesday. Two days of treatment in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber have speeded his recovery for what would be the former Wakefield youngster’s third game in eight days if he were to recover and he is keen to get out there and take on the Panthers. “I was injured last year so I didn’t play in it,” he said. “The year before we played at Leeds, but I was injured for that one as well. “I’m a bit jinxed with the injuries for the Challenge Cup so it will be nice to play. “I’ve been in the oxygen chamber with Andy Bracek for the last two days trying to help with the recovery. “I have been in there for the last few days trying to get recovered as quick as I can.” Describing how he picked up the injury, he added: “I got through a half-gap and was brought down. As I went down, I landed on the ball and the Widnes player landed on top of me, so his and my weight both landed on the top of my shoulder and jarred it.” A late decision will be taken on both Campbell and Bracek ahead of kick-off, with Andy Brocklehurst also waiting on a late fitness test. Campbell has been at the centre of a Barrow team that has stepped up significantly in their past two games, comfortably beating both Widnes and Keighley. But he is not taking Blackpool lightly, knowing the Panthers will put up a fight. “Blackpool have had some good results in the Northern Rail and they have pushed teams a long way,” he said. “They went all right against Halifax for long periods on Wednesday and they are a lot better side than they have been in the past, they are not someone you can take lightly. “We will be putting as strong a side as we can out, but it has been hard for us this week having three games, having to recover from the Sunday to play on the Wednesday and then having to recover from the Wednesday to play on the next Sunday. “Blackpool are another professional outfit and they are a good team. Martin Crompton has got them playing well and they have taken some big scalps in pre-season and the Northern Rail. “We know it is going to be a very tough game and not to be taken lightly.
Wickenheiser back in action in Sweden
January 12, 2009
Canada’s most prolific women’s player cautious in return from knee injury. Hayley Wickenheiser is among the top 20 in faceoffs in Sweden’s Division 1 men’s hockey league with a 53 per cent success rate. (Frank Gunn/Canadian Press). Hayley Wickenheiser is taking baby steps as she gets back into game shape in Sweden’s Division 1 men’s hockey league following a serious knee injury. Sporting a brace on her right knee, the five-foot-10, 171-pound forward has played two games after missing 13 contests with ligament damage suffered in the Four Nations Cup final on Nov. 9. She played only five or six shifts in her first game back with Eskilstuna and about 10 minutes in Sunday’s victory over Jarfalla. “I’ve been trying to be patient and not push it,” Wickenheiser, 30, said. “I’m fortunate that my coach, Mattias Karlin, he lost his NHL career to a major knee injury, and he said to me, ‘I’m not going to let you make the same mistakes I did.’ “So he’s been pretty cautious in not rushing me back.” Wickenheiser is playing against many men who are bigger and stronger than her, and unlike in women’s hockey, there’s bodychecking in Sweden’s Division 1 league. With the 2010 Winter Olympics not far off, she can’t afford to risk re-injury. “Obviously, it’s another level when you play a game situation, but it’s about just getting out there and not thinking about it anymore,” said Wickenheiser, who signed a one-year contract with Eskilstuna last summer. “The physical rehab may take six weeks, but then there’s the whole mental rehab of knowing when you get back out there that the knee is going to feel strong. Captain needed in top form Team Canada will require power, speed and creativity on the ice from its captain to defend gold on home soil in Vancouver. Wickenheiser was named the most valuable player of the last two Olympic women’s hockey tournaments. In all, Wickenheiser has played in three Olympics and eight world championships. She did not play in the 2001 worlds because of a knee injury. The all-time leading scorer on the Canadian women’s team, with 136 goals and 152 assists in 194 games, Wickenheiser has a goal and two assists in 12 games for Eskilstuna. She ranks in the league’s top 20 in faceoffs won at 53 per cent. At the time of her most recent injury, Wickenheiser was told she could miss six to 20 weeks of action, so she started an aggressive rehabilitation, which included five sessions in a hyperbaric chamber in Toronto, and was skating six weeks later in Sweden. (A hyperbaric chamber is thought to speed healing of an injury by increasing the amount of oxygen in the blood.) The native of Shaunavon, Sask., faced a difficult situation during rehabilitation because she’s a professional player whose team pays her a salary and living expenses while she’s on the roster. The temptation was to get back in the lineup quickly. Wickenheiser is playing European men’s hockey for the second time in her career. In 2003, she spent parts of two seasons with Finland’s Kirkkonummi Salamat, scoring three goals and 19 points in 40 games. Canada will attempt to reclaim the gold medal at the world championship April 4-12 in Hameenlinna, Finland, after falling 4-3 to the United States in last year’s final in Harbin, China
Mountain Brook running back credits hyperbaric therapy for ankle
healing rapidly
November 22, 2008 RAY MELICK News staff writer
When Mountain Brook High School running back J.D. Marsh suffered a high ankle sprain against Cullman four weeks ago, the senior was told the injury might mean his high school career was over. ”They said it typically takes five to six weeks to recover from that severe of a sprain,” said Marsh. “And we were only two weeks away from the (Class 6A) playoffs.” That’s when Mountain Brook head coach Chris Yeager got a call from the Hyperbaric Center of Alabama. ”Someone read about J.D.’s injury,” said J.D.’s father, David Marsh. “They called and said one of the theories they were looking at was the effect of pressurized oxygen treatment on sports injuries. They were looking for some athletes who wanted to try it, at no cost.” Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is best known for its use with deep-sea divers who suffer from decompression sickness, commonly referred to as “the bends.” But it is also used for a number of other more common illnesses such as carbon monoxide poisoning, smoke inhalation, and to help promote healing of certain infected open wounds. Dr. Woodie Fritz, medical director of the Hyperbaric Center of Alabama, believes the use of hyperbaric chambers also can aid in the treatment of additional ailments, from autism to strokes, as well as sports-related injuries. ”The physiology is simple,” said Fritz. “We breathe air that is roughly 21 percent oxygen, 18 percent nitrogen and about 1 percent other gasses. Put a person in a hyperbaric chamber and they’re breathing 100 percent oxygen. … When you increase the atmospheric pressure to where the body is completely saturated in pure oxygen … you deliver a super-concentration of oxygen to tissues and it speeds the recovery time.” Others in the medical industry familiar with HBOT say there is no hard evidence to support Fritz’s belief….
Unique divers’ chamber comes to Rugby
16 April 2009
RUGBY is now home to a unique treatment facility which could see Premiership footballers heading to the town.
A new recompression chamber, commonly known for treating divers with the bends, was recently opened at the Hospital of St. Cross. As originally reported by the Advertiser last year, the facility is one of only 15 chambers in England and represents an important investment into the healthcare facilities in the Midlands area. With one of the country’s busiest scuba diving centres, Stoney Cove, just down the road, the facility is expected to be welcomed by the dive community. Simon Wilson, Technical Director at Midlands Diving Chamber, said: “It’s great to have a chamber like this in the Midlands, which can not only be used to serve the huge population of divers in the area, but also to support the healthcare services within the community.” Carl Holland, Hospital Manager at the Hospital of St Cross, added: “This is a fantastic addition to the hospital which can be used not just to serve the huge population of divers we have in our community, but also as an additional service for our existing patients.” Although most commonly known for treating divers the chamber also provides treatments for a number of other conditions. These include carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation; air or gas embolism; enhancement of healing in selected problem wounds; exceptional blood loss (anaemia); necrotising soft tissue infections; osteomyelitis (refractory); radiation tissue damage (osteoradionecrosis); skin grafts and flaps (compromised) and thermal burns. Recompression chambers are also regularly used by Premiership football players and professional sports players to speed up recovery from injury. The treatment given in a recompression chamber (known as hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatment) is a non-invasive medical treatment which involves breathing a hundred percent oxygen at an increased pressure. This allows oxygen to dissolve into the blood plasma giving increased amounts of oxygen that helps to enhance the recovery of injured tissues
