our patients

Routine Patients

Once referred to the unit, each individual is formally assessed by one of the doctors who will decide upon an appropriate treatment regime. The patients generally attend the unit for 20-30 treatments (one or two sessions per day depending upon the severity of the condition), with each session lasting approximately ninety minutes.

Any condition precluding the patient from treatment will be detected during the initial assessment. During the course of the therapy either a doctor or a tissue viability nurse monitors progress.

During hyperbaric oxygen therapy patients are comfortably enclosed in a hyperbaric chamber. A fully trained attendant accompanies patients at all times. The chamber is slowly pressurized to 2.4 atmospheres absolute, which equals the pressure of 14 meters of seawater. Whilst under pressure the patient breathes 100 percent oxygen via a facemask or hood. This combination of oxygen and pressure physically dissolves oxygen in the plasma. At 2.4 atmospheres pressure, the patient's arterial oxygen partial pressure is approximately 1500mmHg (PaO2).

The protocol of 20 sessions of HBO prior to surgery and 10 sessions afterwards (the 20/10 protocol) is the one most commonly used for surgery in uncomplicated radiated tissues. A different, and more direct protocol is used in more serious situations where frank soft tissue and/or osteoradionecrosis are present. Nevertheless, the 20/10 protocol has now been studied and found effective with randomised prospective studies in at least three areas of head and neck post-radiation surgery; bone graft reconstruction, soft tissue vascular flaps and tooth removal. Therefore, it is presently the definitive protocol whenever any elective surgery or wounding is performed within radiated tissues.

Transcutaneous pulse oximetry is a simple, reliable, non-invasive diagnostic technique that provides an objective assessment of local tissue perfusion and oxygenation. It can be used for serial assessment of the soft tissue envelope surrounding problem wounds. Uses of transcutaneous pulse oximetry in the problem wound include the assessment of healing potential, selection of amputation level, and patient selection for HBO therapy. Accurate prediction of wound healing potential is essential to avoid the increased morbidity rates that accompany ischaemic breakdown of failed debridements and amputations.

ALS Compressor

Emergency Patients

In addition to the routine work we also provide a 24 hour emergency on-call service for diving accidents, carbon monoxide poisoning and life threatening infections from intensive care units.

On arrival at the unit all emergency patients are received into the two-bedded resuscitation room where advanced life support can be continued. Once stabilised, the patient can be transferred directly into the hyperbaric chamber where full therapy, including ventilatory support, inotropes, cardiac output monitoring and defibrillation can be continued, even at depth. During the treatment the patient will be transferred to a ward in the main hospital or to the intensive care unit.

With the facilities we have available, we play an increasing role in the management of life threatening conditions in patients who were previously considered too unstable to transfer and treat. For example necrotising fasciitis,thermal burns, and severe blood loss anaemia.