Indications
Hyperbaric Oxygen is a medication just like any other, it has its own dosage, concentration and time of action, also it needs a medical indication and prescription to use it.
Part of the guidelines that govern our high quality and patient safety require following internationally approved indications. In our department we follow the guidelines and indications approved by the European Committee and by the UHMS, additionally for some specific cases we can also be guided by indications approved by other associations of hyperbaric and underwater medicine from other countries, when required for the benefit of the patient.
Red indications are considered emergencies and must be attended immediate.
EUROPEAN CONSENSUS INDICATIONS
1. CO poisoning
2. Open fractures with crush injury
3. Prevention of osteoradionecrosis after dental extraction
4. Osteoradionecrosis (mandible)
5. Soft tissue radionecrosis (cystitis, proctitis)
6. Decompression illness
7. Gas embolism
8. Anaerobic or mixed bacterial infections
9. Sudden deafness
10. Interstitial cystitis
11. Diabetic foot lesions
12. Femoral head necrosis
13. Compromised skin grafts and musculo- cutaneous
14. Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO)
15. Crush Injury without fracture
16. Osteoradionecrosis (bones other than mandible)
17. Radio-induced lesions of soft tissues (other than cystitis and proctitis)
18. Surgery and implant in irradiated tissue (preventive treatment)
19. Ischemic ulcers
20. Refractory chronic osteomyelitis
21. Burns, 2nd degree more than 20% BSA
22. Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis
23. Neuroblastoma, stage IV
24. Brain injury (acute and chronic TBI, chronic stroke.
25. post anoxic encephalopathy, in highly selected patients
26. Radio-induced lesions of larynx
27. Radio-induced lesions of the CNS
28. Post-vascular procedure reperfusion syndrome.
29. Limb replantation
30. Selected non-healing wounds secondary to systemic processes
31. Sickle cell disease
AMERICAN BOARD INDICATIONS
UHMS - Undersea Hyperbaric Medicine Society
1. Air Or Gas Embolism
2. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
3. Clostridial Myositis And Myonecrosis (Gas Gangrene)
4. Crush Injury, Compartment Syndrome And Other Acute Traumatic Ischemia
5. Decompression Sickness
6. Arterial Insufficiencies
7. Severe Anemia
8. Intracranial Abscess
9. Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections
10. Osteomyelitis (Refractory)
11. Delayed Radiation Injury (Soft Tissue And Bony Necrosis)
12. Compromised Grafts And Flaps
13. Acute Thermal Burn Injury
14. Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss