What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) ?
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment in which a patient breathes 100% oxygen while the pressure of the treatment chamber is increased to greater than atmospheric pressure (one atmosphere absolute / one ATA).
Under normal atmospheric conditions, (one ATA) we are subjected to approximately 14.7 pounds per square inch of pressure and the air we breathe is composed of 21% oxygen and 79% nitrogen. During HBOT the pressure can be increased one & half times to three times of normal atmospheric pressure (3 ATA) creating a higher partial pressure of oxygen.
We have Multiplace HBOT Chambers where six persons can take the oxygen therapy at the same time, generally with a nurse or another inside observer who monitors the patients and assists with equipment manipulation or emergencies. Patients in a multiplace chamber breathe 100% oxygen via a mask or close-fitting plastic hood. Multiplace chambers can usually be pressurized to the equivalent of about three atmospheres of pressure.