5-Minute Emergency Consult
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Basics
Description
Description
- Administration of 100% oxygen at >1 atm (typically 2–3 atm)
- Mechanisms of action:
- Increases oxygen availability at the cellular level:
- Breathing 100% oxygen at 3 atm supplies enough dissolved oxygen to support life without hemoglobin
- Compresses formed gas bubbles (in cases of air embolism or decompression sickness)
- Increases oxygen availability at the cellular level:
- 2 types of hyperbaric oxygen chambers:
- Monoplace:
- Accommodates 1 supine patient
- Technician outside the chamber for monitoring
- Compressed with 100% oxygen
- Monoplace:
- Multiplace:
- Holds multiple patients
- Holds attendants who “dive” with the patients
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Citation
Schaider, Jeffrey J., et al., editors. "Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy." 5-Minute Emergency Consult, 6th ed., Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2020. Emergency Central, emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307112/all/Hyperbaric_Oxygen_Therapy.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. In: Schaider JJJ, Barkin RMR, Hayden SRS, et al, eds. 5-Minute Emergency Consult. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2020. https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307112/all/Hyperbaric_Oxygen_Therapy. Accessed July 16, 2025.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. (2020). In Schaider, J. J., Barkin, R. M., Hayden, S. R., Wolfe, R. E., Barkin, A. Z., Shayne, P., & Rosen, P. (Eds.), 5-Minute Emergency Consult (6th ed.). Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307112/all/Hyperbaric_Oxygen_Therapy
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy [Internet]. In: Schaider JJJ, Barkin RMR, Hayden SRS, Wolfe RER, Barkin AZA, Shayne PP, Rosen PP, editors. 5-Minute Emergency Consult. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2020. [cited 2025 July 16]. Available from: https://emergency.unboundmedicine.com/emergency/view/5-Minute_Emergency_Consult/307112/all/Hyperbaric_Oxygen_Therapy.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
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T1 - Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
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ED - Rosen,Peter,
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ED - Hayden,Stephen R,
ED - Wolfe,Richard E,
BT - 5-Minute Emergency Consult
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PB - Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
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DP - Unbound Medicine
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