Bumrungrad International Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand, has recently added a hyperbaric oxygen therapy unit (HBOT) to its list of technological investments to benefit patients.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a noninvasive and painless therapy that will be utilized to treat patients with multiple illnesses and conditions. Benefits of HBOT include an increase in oxygen and a reduction of carbon monoxide in the blood stream, which can help patients in a variety of ways.
Formerly used to treat scuba divers suffering from decompression sickness, HBOT involves the patient lying in a clear chamber where pure oxygen is circulated at an increased pressure. A doctor is within eyesight of the patient at all times in order to identify any problems that may occur. Treatments can last anywhere between 90 minutes and 120 minutes. The number of treatments administered depends on the condition being treated.
“Breathing 100 percent pure oxygen, under higher than normal atmospheric pressure, increases the amount of oxygen in the blood. This can help heal, fight off infection, decrease swelling, and aid in the growth of new blood vessels. These benefits cannot be achieved by breathing oxygen in a regular room,” says Karoon Mekanontchai, MD, international medical director at Bumrungrad.
Bumrungrad Hospital is an internationally accredited hospital with more than 30 specialty centers.
