patient brochure - Hennepin County Medical Center

What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy?
Hyperbaric oxygen is a specialized medical
treatment during which you breathe 100 percent
oxygen from a mask or hood while you are
inside a chamber (room) where the atmospheric
pressure is higher than normal. Our chambers
are large enough for four to eight patients to
receive treatment in one room at the same time.
We have three of these multiplace chambers.
We also have a single person chamber which is
used for selected patients.
How often are hyperbaric treatments given?
Most patients are treated once a day, 5 days a
week. Emergency patients are treated when they
need it, regardless of the day or time. Depending
on your condition, the hyperbaric medicine
physician will determine the number of treatments
you need, as well as the duration of each
treatment and the atmospheric pressure during
the treatment.
What will the treatments be like?
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Center for
Hyperbaric
Medicine
The purpose of hyperbaric oxygen treatment is
to dissolve high concentrations of oxygen in your
blood and tissues. That is what happens when you
breathe 100 percent oxygen inside the pressurized
chamber. Certain types of infections, tissue
injuries, and poisonings can be treated effectively
if the body is saturated with oxygen in this way.
What conditions is hyperbaric oxygen used
to treat?
Hyperbaric oxygen has been used safely and
effectively for more than 50 years to treat certain
medical conditions such as carbon monoxide
poisoning, gas gangrene and decompression
sickness (also known as diver’s bends).
In the last 3 decades, hyperbaric oxygen has
been shown to be effective in treating a number
of other conditions, including, bone infection
that has not responded to customary treatment,
damage to tissues from radiation therapy, crush
injuries, diabetic foot ulcers, non healing surgical
sites, and tissue grafts and flaps that aren’t
doing well.
Before each treatment you will change from your
street clothes into hospital clothing. (It is wise to
use the restroom then.) Also before each treatment,
your general well being and vital signs (blood
pressure, pulse, temperature) will be assessed by
a hyperbaric nurse. You will be directed to your
assigned seat inside the chamber just before the
treatment starts.
During the treatment you will rest comfortably in
your chair in the well lit hyperbaric chamber.
There will be music to listen to if you wish,
possibly entertainment on video. There likely will
be other patients in the room and there will
always be a medical attendant in the chamber
with you. You will wear an oxygen mask or oxygen
hood most of the time during the treatment.
Most treatments last about 2 hours. During the
first 10-15 minutes of each treatment, the air
pressure inside the chamber will be increased
gradually, until the prescribed pressure is
reached. You will feel a sensation of pressure in
your ears, similar to that when you fly in an
airplane or drive over a mountain pass.
The Center for Hyperbaric
Medicine is located across
from the Metrodome in downtown
Minneapolis in P1.600
of the HCMC Purple Building,
at 7th St. and Park Ave. S.
Parking is located in the
HCMC ramp across the street
at 6th St. and Park Ave. S.
Valet parking is located at the
main entrance to the Purple
Building on 7th St. between
Chicago and Park Ave. S.
For more information,
call (612) 873-7420
hcmc.org/hyperbaric
Hennepin County Medical Center provides services without regard to race, color,
creed, religion, age, sex, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, public assistance
or national origin.
Experience
that leads to
better outcomes
For patients
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This is expected. You will
have to “clear your
ears” (equalize the
pressure in your
middle ear) many
times during this
pressurization
phase. A
hyperbaric nurse
will teach you ways
to do this before
your first treatment.
There are also some
instructions in this booklet so
you can practice at home. If you are
having discomfort in your ears or sinuses during
this initial phase, you should tell the medical
attendant inside the chamber immediately.
During the rest of your treatment time, you may
relax, read a book, do crossword puzzles, or
sleep. You will feel no unusual sensations, even
though you are breathing 100 percent oxygen.
Periodically, you will be instructed to remove your
mask or hood for 5 minutes of breathing the air
in the chamber; otherwise you must leave it on
to get the benefits of the treatment. You may
drink water during these “air breaks.”
During the last 10 to 15 minutes of your treatment,
the pressure in the chamber will be very slowly
decreased until it is back to normal atmospheric
pressure. Your ears will clear automatically during
this de-pressurization phase; you should not try
to help them.
Ways to equalize the pressure in your ears
The middle part of your ear is sensitive to
pressure changes. There are ways to equalize the
pressure in your middle ear with the pressure in
the room as it changes. Prior to your first
hyperbaric oxygen treatment, a hyperbaric nurse
will teach you some of these ways. They include
the following: yawning, swallowing, swallowing
while pinching your nose closed, chewing gum,
sipping water and pushing your tongue against
the roof of your mouth. If these methods do not
work for you, you may pinch your nose and
close your mouth, then gently, only for a second,
pretend that you are blowing your nose. You will
need to do one of these methods of
equalizing middle ear pressure many
times during the pressurization
phase of treatment every day. If
you have difficulty, you should tell
the medical attendant in the
chamber immediately. Don’t wait
until you have pain.
How will I feel at the end of a treatment?
You will feel just as good after a treatment as you
did when it began. There
will be no nausea or
fatigue and if
you drove to
the chamber,
you will be
able to
drive home
from the
chamber.
What should I expect at my consultation visit
with the hyperbaric physician?
Your physician consultation at HCMC will include a
complete review of your medical history and
medical records, a physical examination, a
recommendation for or against hyperbaric oxygen
treatment, and detailed explanation of the benefits
and risks of this treatment. You are encouraged to
bring a current list of all your medications and to
bring a family member with you. In most cases,
you will not have a hyperbaric treatment on this
day. A chest x-ray and some laboratory tests will
be required before your first treatment. These may
be done at your own physician’s office.
What are my responsibilities once I start
hyperbaric oxygen treatments?
It is your responsibility to help us assure that your
treatments are safe and effective. So please:
1. Notify our medical staff if you have been ill or
injured since your last treatment, so we can
determine if you should proceed with treatment
that day.
2. Tell us if you have added or changed any
medications.
3. If you are diabetic, tell us if you didn’t eat your
usual meal before coming, or if you missed
your insulin, or if your blood sugars have been
unusually high or low.
4. Tell us if you do not feel well during or after
the treatment.
5. Follow the doctor’s instructions, regarding
smoking cessation, foot elevation and
wound care.
For your safety and the safety of others:
1. Wear only your underwear and the clothing
we provide you into the chamber.
2. Do not wear make-up, hair oil/mousse/spray,
perfume, aftershave, wig/hairpiece into
the chamber.
3. TAKE NOTHING INTO THE CHAMBER except,
if you wish, eyeglasses, a book, one sheet of
paper and one standard pencil.
For your own protection, please leave your jewelry
(except wedding ring or Medic Alert) and valuables
at home.
Please notify us if you are not coming for a
scheduled treatment and plan to arrive on time for
your appointments to help us provide treatment to
everyone who needs it.
Who should I call if I have questions
or concerns?
If you have questions, need to cancel an appointment,
or have problems, call the Center for
Hyperbaric Medicine at 612-873-7420 and ask
to speak to a nurse. If you need to talk to a
hyperbaric physician, the nurse will arrange that
for you.
Affordable lodging
Some downtown-area hotels offer special
hospital rates. Please check with each hotel
for specific room rate information. Visit
www.hcmc.org for a detailed lodging guide.