• The increased overall pressure is of therapeutic value when HBOT is used in the treatment of decompression sickness and air embolism;
• For many other conditions, the therapeutic principle of HBOT lies in a drastically increased partial pressure of oxygen in the tissues of the body. The oxygen partial pressures achievable under HBOT are much higher than those under breathing pure oxygen at normobaric conditions (i.e. at normal atmospheric pressure);
• A related effect is the increased oxygen transport capacity of the blood. Under atmospheric pressure, oxygen transport is limited by the oxygen binding capacity of hemoglobin in red blood cells and very little oxygen is transported by blood plasma. Because the hemoglobin of the red blood cells is almost saturated with oxygen under atmospheric pressure, this route of transport cannot be exploited any further. Oxygen transport by plasma, however is significantly increased under HBOT.

Use :

• Air or gas embolism;
• Carbon monoxide poisoning;
• Carbon monoxide poisoning complicated by cyanide poisoning;
• Clostridal myositis and myonecrosis (gas gangrene);
• Crush injury, compartment syndrome, and other acute traumatic ischemias;
• Decompression sickness;
• Enhancement of healing in selected problem wounds;
• Exceptional blood loss (anemia);
• Intracranial abscess;
• Necrotizing soft tissue infections (necrotizing fasciitis);
• Osteomyelitis (refractory);
• Delayed radiation injury (soft tissue and bony necrosis);
• Skin grafts and flaps (compromised);
• Thermal burns.

U.S. physicians may lawfully prescribe HBOT for "off-label" conditions such as Lyme Disease, Stroke, Migraines, Autism, Diabetically derived illness, such as diabetic foot, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, Epidural abscesses, Sudden hearing loss, Radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis and Inflammatory bowel disease