CONDITIONS BEING TREATED WITH HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY

Following is a list of conditions currently being treated with HBOT worldwide.  Most are considered experimental and controversial by the mainstream medical community, with only testimonials and anecdotal evidence for benefit. Medical insurance in the United States and elsewhere will often refuse payment.

(* Conditions marked with an asterisk below are sometimes reimbursed for a short time by Medicare and other medical insurance in the U.S., but only if strictly defined diagnostic criteria are met.)

Emergency Indications

 Air or Gas embolism* (in divers, but can also occur during bypass surgery)

 Bends in divers (Decompression sickness)*

 Burns* (thermal burns)

 Carbon monoxide poisoning* (Insurance usually stops paying before all brain injury has fully improved)  

 Cyanide Poisoning*

 Cerebral edema

 Closed head injuries (traumatic brain injury)

 Crisis of sickle cell anemia

 Exceptional Blood Loss Anemia*

 Blast injury

 Gas gangrene*

 Hydrogen sulfide poisoning

 Near-drowning

 Near-electrocution

 Near-hanging

 Peyote poisoning

 Severed limbs

 Smoke inhalation

 Ileus

Stroke (cerebral infarct, with benefit even long after the event)

 Specific Neurologic Indications

Autism

Air embolism*

    a. Decompression induced (divers)

    b. Iatrogenic (bypass surgery, injected, etc.)

Cerebral edema

    a. Toxic encephalopathy

    b. Vascular compromise

    c. Traumatic

Cerebral Palsy (CP)

Spinal cord contusion

    a. Physiological transection

   b. Partial motor or sensory loss

Early organic brain syndrome

     a. Small vessel disease

     b. Multiple small infarcts

Fetal alcohol syndrome

Stroke (acute and chronic residuals)

Vegetative coma (acute and prolonged)

     a. Closed head injury

     b. Hypoxic encephalopathy (suffocation, drowning, strangulation,

          cardiac arrest, near hanging, near choking, lightening strikes, etc.)

Multiple sclerosis

     a. Acute

     b. Relapsing/ remitting

     c. Chronic progressive

Brain Ddysfunction following Bypass Surgery and Angioplasty

Cranial nerve syndromes

     a. Trigeminal neuralgia

     b. Optic neuritis

     c. Vestibular disorders (vertigo, tinnitus, Meniere’s syndrome)

     d. Sudden deafness

     e. Brain stem syndromes (ischemia, infarct)

     f. Retinal artery occlusion

     g Acoustic trauma

Peripheral neuropathy

     a. Charcot Marie’s tooth disease

     b. Radiation myelitis

Traumatic Brain Injury

Near Drowning

Sympathetic Reflex Dystrophy

Orthopedic Indications

Crush injuries* (vascular compromise)

Soft tissue swelling

     a. Traumatic

    b. Cellulitis* (infection/mixed flora)

compartment syndrome*

Acute necrotizing fasciitis ( so-called “flesh-eating bacteria”)*

Necrotizing soft tissue infections*

Clostridial myonecrosis* (gas gangrene)

Severed limbs and digits*

Acute and chronic osteomyelitis* (bone infection)

Bone grafting

Fracture healing and nonunion*

Aseptic necrosis

Tendon and ligament injuries, post-surgical repair

Delayed wound healing

Stump infections (following amputation)

Edema under cast

Sports injuries

Miscellaneous Indications

Peripheral vascular ulcer*

      a. Arterial (atherosclerosis)

      b. Decubitus (bed sores)

      c. Neuropathy related (diabetes)

      d. Venous (deep vein thrombosis complication)

      e. Diabetic

Gangrene (wet and dry, atherosclerosis, more common in diabetes)

Compromised Skin Flaps and Grafts*

Autism

Abscesses* (intra-abdominal and intracranial)

Buerger’s disease

Biliary atresia (after surgical correction)

Carbon tetrachloride poisoning

Fibromyalgia

Frostbite

Diabetic retinopathy

Glaucoma with visual field loss

Diabetic ulcers*

Gulf War Syndrome

Retinal artery occlusion

Retinal vein thrombosis

Lepromatous leprosy

Lyme disease

Melaney ulcer* (flesh-eating bacteria)

Meningitis

Migraine

Osteoradionecrosis* (post radiation damage)

Pancreatitis

Pneumatosis cystoides intestinalis

Pseudomembranous colitis

Plastic surgery (speed healing, reduce scar and infection)

Rheumatoid arthritis (acute)

Brown Recluse Spider Bite

Scleroderma

Sickle cell crisis and hematuria

Peptic ulcer

Plastic Surgery, speeds healing with less scar

Myocardial infarction

Slow healing wounds

Potentiate antibiotic therapy

Post-cardiotomy and low output heart failure

Radiation cystitis and enteritis*

Refractory mycoses* (fungal infections)

Suturing of Severed Limbs*

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Cerebral palsy

Post-polio syndrome

Cirrhosis

Immune System Enhancement

Crohn’s disease

Ulcerative colitis

ALS

Parkinson’s Syndrome

http://www.drcranton.com/hbo/conditions_treated.htm