Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is used to treat carbon monoxide poisoning, wounds that are difficult to heal and a variety of medical and surgical conditions. Long used on divers suffering from the bends, HBOT dramatically increases the amount of oxygen carried to the tissues by the blood.
Children who receive HBOT breathe 100% pure oxygen in a chamber filled with compressed air. The air pressure in the chamber can be increased up to six times higher than normal air pressure, which increases the amount of oxygen in the blood significantly.
Blood vessels deliver the super-oxygenated blood to tissues throughout the body to help heal wounds, fight infection, decrease swelling and aid in the growth of new blood vessels.
Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital's hyperbaric oxygen chamber is 6 feet in diameter and 34 feet long. The chamber has more than one compartment that allows prompt physician access should the need arise. The main compartment can accommodate up to 12 patients, as well as a technician or nurse. Children receiving HBOT are able to sit or recline with minimal limitations placed on movement.
Our hyperbaric center is the only center in Houston that provides emergency care 24 hours a day.
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