Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that involves breathing 100% oxygen in a pressurized chamber. This therapy enhances the body’s natural healing process by delivering oxygen at high pressures, which increases the amount of oxygen in the blood and sets of physiological processes that improve the body’s natural healing processes, including wounds with inflammation and damaged tissues. We use hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat wounds and other FDA-approved treatments.
In addition to complex wounds, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is FDA-approved to treat a wide range of serious medical conditions, many of which are under-recognized by both patients and providers. At AZ Wound & Hyperbaric Medicine, we frequently treat radiation tissue injury, diabetic foot ulcers, and necrotizing soft tissue infections – but HBOT is approved for 13 medical indications in total.
Because treatment typically requires daily sessions over several weeks, our conveniently located clinics in Phoenix, North Phoenix, Gilbert, and Mesa make it easier for patients and referring providers to access consistent, high-quality hyperbaric oxygen therapy care.
Learn about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Radiation Injury.
Radiation therapy is a critical tool in cancer treatment, but it can also harm healthy tissues, leading to long‑term complications known as radiation injuries. These injuries can manifest months or even years after treatment, affecting various organs and tissues. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has been FDA‑approved to treat these latent injuries by increasing oxygen levels in damaged tissues, promoting healing and reducing inflammation. At AZ Wound & Hyperbaric Medicine, we offer advanced HBOT solutions to alleviate the effects of radiation therapy and support tissue regeneration.
Radiation necrosis is long-term complication of radiotherapy. HBOT is a recommended treatment for this condition as it removes hypoxia in the affected tissues, boosting cell regeneration and reducing tissue fibrosis and breakdown.
Learn about Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Diabetic Foot Ulcers.
HBOT is greatly beneficial to any wound healing but is essential for non-healing wounds affected by lack of oxygen supply such as diabetic foot ulcer. HBOT treatments for diabetic foot ulcers restores the oxygen-dependent functioning of healing by oxygenating the tissues, reducing edema, regulating intracellular metabolism and boosting the activity of white blood cells and antibiotic treatment.
HBOT is a great boost for the bactericidal activity of white blood cells and also enhances the action of antibiotic treatment. Further, HBOT limits the spread of infection by increasing local tissue oxygen levels and reducing the degree of hypoxic leukocyte dysfunction. HBOT also accelerates the demarcation of potentially viable tissue from non-viable tissue.
HBOT helps compromised skin graft conditions by bringing more oxygen to the area, helping the building of new blood vessels (neovascularization), reducing tissue edema and limiting the effects of ischemia/ ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Chronic Refractory Osteomyelitis is a bone infection, characterized by acute and chronic forms of hypoxia. HBOT greatly helps its treatment by boosting osteoclast and osteoblast activity, enhancing bactericidal activity of white blood cells, decreasing edema, increasing neovascularization and enabling regeneration of bone tissue.
For these cases, HBOT serves as a bridge and adjunctive therapy by oxygenating tissues and thus preventing cellular death, reducing ischemia-reperfusion injury, preventing white blood cells degranulation, reducing edema and enhancing the blood supply.
If started within 8 to 24 hours of symptom onset, HBOT raises oxygen levels in the inner retina, helps maintain viability, prevents retinal edema, and minimizes ischemia‑reperfusion injury.
HBOT shrinks intravascular gas bubbles and restores blood flow by replacing nitrogen with oxygen. It oxygenates ischemic tissue and helps decrease cerebral edema and inflammation.
HBOT can help treat such idiopathic sudden hearing loss by increasing the intra-cochlear oxygen tensions and reducing inflammation and edema.
In cases of acute carbon monoxide poisoning, HBOT accelerates the dissociation of CO from the hemoglobin molecule at a much greater rate than that achievable by breathing pure oxygen at ambient atmospheric pressure and also reduces brain inflammation and injury by enhancing tissue oxygenation, decreasing microvascular injury, and improving mitochondrial oxidative processes.
HBOT is used before and after vascular surgery to deliver oxygen for tissue repair, stimulate white‑cell activity, promote angiogenesis, reduce carbon‑dioxide retention, and ease claudication.
In cases of critical hemoglobin level drop, HBOT can serve as a bridge therapy to relieve the symptoms of oxygen debt and allow proper oxygen delivery until underlying pathology is corrected and/or RBC transfusion becomes available. In emergency cases or if a patient refuses blood transfusion, life can be sustained using HBOT, even with very low concentrations of hemoglobin. Additionally, in subacute and chronically anemic patients, HBOT induces an increase in red blood cell mass and is considered a safer long-term option than transfusion of packed red blood cells.
HBOT is the only treatment of decompression sickness. It shrinks the bubbles, reduces the edema around the bubble and restores blood flow to the end-organ tissues. HBOT decreases the nitrogen load in the bubbles and replaces it with oxygen, by the concurrent diffusion principle, thus oxygenating ischemic tissues.
Led by Dr. Yadwinder “Vinnie” Dhillon, a recognized specialist in wound care and hyperbaric medicine, our team is dedicated to providing top-notch care. Dr. Dhillon has extensive experience and is recognized as a Phoenix Top Doctor multiple times.
We tailor our HBOT treatments to meet each patient’s unique needs, ensuring optimal outcomes.
Our state-of-the-art facilities and advanced technology provide a comfortable and effective treatment environment.
We prioritize your comfort and safety, with a focus on patient education and support throughout the treatment process.
Our compassionate team is here to guide you every step of the way, from your initial consultation to your final treatment session.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy treatments are painless and non-invasive.
When you arrive for your treatment, you will change clothes into 100% cotton scrubs in our changing room. You will not be allowed to take any foreign materials into the HBOT chamber with you.
Once ready you will lie on a rolling gurney where the nurse or respiratory technician will check your ears, blood pressure and your blood sugar (if you are diabetic). A grounding probe is then attached to your wrist to prevent any static electricity while in the chamber. Once ready you are rolled into the chamber.
To start you will hear the oxygen circulating and you will be informed as the pressure gradually increases, you may experience “fullness” in your ears, similar to the feeling in an airplane, at a high elevation or while scuba diving. This is normal and, the technicians will show you how to clear your ears while ‘diving’ to pressure.
Once you have reached the prescribed pressure, the feeling of “fullness” in your ears will stop and you will be free to rest, sleep or even watch TV, for the rest of the treatment.
During treatment, if prescribed, you will receive air breaks. This is when the technician or nurse will tell you to apply a mask which will contain room air. This will last for 5-10 minutes. This is to reduce the possible side effects associated with HBOT over multiple treatments.
Towards the end of your treatment, you will go through the ‘Decompression Phase,’ when the pressure will gradually be decreased to sea level, over a period of 5 to 15 minutes. At this time, you may experience a “popping” sensation in your ears.
HBO therapy has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat certain medical conditions and covered by Medicare for 13 indications.
As with all medical treatments, there are a few side effects, and people with certain underlying conditions may not be allowed to undergo HBOT. Ensure that your treatment is medically-supervised by a board-certified provider and that all possible side effects are discussed with you in detail before you sign your consent form.
For best treatment outcomes, avoid the use of alcohol, carbonated beverages and tobacco during your treatment process.
In general, patients are administered HBOT once a day, which for which you are in the chamber for approximately 90 minutes. However, the number of treatments (also known as “dives”), their duration and the exact pressure used will be determined by your provider, based on your need and condition. We utilize Monoplace chambers so each treatment can be independently programmed to meet specific needs.
We will provide you with 100% cotton scrubs/gown to wear during the treatment. It is recommended that you do not wear hair products, non-cotton material undergarments, make-up, perfume, jewelry, hearing aid or any other combustible item when entering the hyperbaric chamber.
Due to the high air pressure you will be enduring, it is important that you are free of any combustible items such as mobile phones, hearing aid, hair wig and jewelry. If you have any implanted hardware including a defibrillator or pacemaker, please make the provider aware of this. Also avoid the use of alcohol, carbonated beverages and tobacco during your treatment process.
Advanced Personalized Wound Care Solutions and Wound Experts Serving Metro Phoenix.
AZ Wound & Hyperbaric Medicine is proud to be a division of Arizona Advanced Surgery.