Introduction to Hyperbaric Oxygen Knowledge

  I. What is hyperbaric oxygen
  Simply put, hyperbaric oxygen is oxygen at high concentration under high pressure; the partial pressure of oxygen exceeds the level of pure oxygen at atmospheric pressure; and it is called hyperbaric oxygen which has special therapeutic effect on many diseases.
  Why hyperbaric oxygen can treat diseases
  The main mechanism of hyperbaric oxygen treatment can be summarized as follows.
  I. Raise the partial pressure of blood oxygen and increase the oxygen content of blood.
  1.Blood oxygen exists in two forms, namely plasma dissolved oxygen and hemoglobin-bound oxygen.
  2, hemoglobin-bound oxygen: each gram of hemoglobin can combine 1.36ml of oxygen. Under normal pressure air, the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin is 97%. Under normal conditions, hemoglobin is the main source of oxygen supply for the body. Because the oxygen saturation of hemoglobin has reached 97%, it is impossible to increase the oxygen binding of hemoglobin under high air pressure.
  3.Physical dissolved oxygen of plasma: under normal air pressure, the dissolved oxygen amount is only 0.3ml per 100ml of blood, which does not constitute the main source of oxygen supply to the body. According to Henry’s law: at a certain temperature, the amount of gas dissolved in the liquid is proportional to the pressure of the gas. Therefore, dissolved oxygen can be increased without restriction under high pressure.
  4. The increase of blood oxygen content under hyperbaric oxygen is shown in the following table.
  The change of blood oxygen tension and blood oxygen content under different oxygen partial pressure
  Pressure(Mpa )
  Respiratory gas
  Arterial blood
  PO2
  (mmHg)
  HbO2
  Saturation (%)
  Bound O2
  (ml%)
  Dissolved oxygen
  (ml %)
  0.1
  Air
  100
  97
  19.5
  0.30
  0.1
  O2
  650
  100
  20.1
  2.06
  0.2
  O2
  1400
  100
  20.1
  4.213
  0.25
  O2
  1700
  100
  20.1
  5.317
  0.3
  O2
  2160
  100
  20.1
  6.520
  Note: 1, PO2 oxygen partial pressure,, the partial pressure of the gas dissolved in the liquid is called tension, such as blood oxygen tension.
  2. The parentheses are dissolved oxygen increase times.
  Second, improve the blood oxygen diffusion capacity, that is, the oxygen penetration increases.
  Under hyperbaric oxygen, the “effective diffusion distance” of oxygen increases, which improves the oxygen supply to the hypoxic area and is beneficial to the treatment of vascular obstructive diseases, cerebral infarction, myocardial infarction, skin implantation and limb reimplantation, etc.
  Increase the oxygen storage capacity of tissues
  1. Under normal temperature and pressure, the oxygen storage capacity is 13ml per 1000g of tissue, and the oxygen consumption is 3~4 ml/kg.min, and the safety time of circulatory blockage is 3~4 min.
  2. Under 0.3Mpa, the oxygen storage capacity is 53 ml/kg, and the safe blocking time is 8~12 min.
  3. Create conditions for heart and brain surgery and organ transplantation under hyperbaric oxygen. Combined with low temperature effect is better.
  IV. Anti-microbial effect of hyperbaric oxygen.
  1.Inhibit the growth and reproduction of anaerobic bacteria: Under 0.25Mpa oxygen pressure, the partial pressure of oxygen in the tissue can make all the anaerobic bacteria stop growing and reproducing.
  2.Under the oxygen pressure of more than 0.13Mpa, the growth of Bacillus diphtheriae, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus can be inhibited.
  3, hyperbaric oxygen improves the bactericidal ability of white blood cells: because the oxygen consumption of white blood cells increases when they engulf bacteria.
  4, hyperbaric oxygen increases the efficacy of certain antibacterial drugs: for example, under 0.2~0.3Mpa oxygen pressure, the lowest inhibitory concentration of sulfonamides are reduced.
  V. Promote the formation of neovascularization and accelerate the establishment of collateral circulation:
  Under hyperbaric oxygen – tissue oxygen partial pressure increased – granulation tissue oxygen consumption capacity, fibroblast division and proliferation, vascular fibroblast division, collagen fiber composition – accelerated neovascularization formation – -Lateral circulation is established.
  VI. The effect of hyperbaric oxygen on bubbles
  1. According to Boyle-Mariot law: when the temperature is constant, the volume of a certain mass of gas is inversely proportional to the pressure. In the high pressure environment can make the human body blood vessels, tissues and intestinal cavity bubble volume reduction, the greater the pressure, the greater the bubble reduction.
  2, and according to Henry’s law, at a certain temperature, the amount of gas dissolved in the liquid is proportional to the pressure of the gas. Therefore, under high air pressure, the bubbles in the body are easy to dissolve into the blood or tissue fluid.
  Therefore, for the treatment of decompression sickness and gas embolism, it is possible to obtain “pressure to remove the disease”.
  Hyperbaric oxygen can enhance the sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
  Other effects
  Under hyperbaric oxygen, metabolism is strengthened, ATP production is increased, fibroblasts proliferation is active, collagen fibers are strengthened, which can reduce exudation and edema of damaged tissues and improve local blood circulation. At the same time, it can promote the formation of new blood vessels and accelerate the establishment of collateral circulation, so it has therapeutic effects on injury, cerebral edema and circulatory disorders.
  Indications for hyperbaric oxygen
  I. Indications for acute diseases
  1.CO poisoning and other harmful gas poisoning
  2.Gas gangrene, tetanus and other anaerobic bacterial infections
  3.Decompression sickness
  4.Gas embolism
  5.Acute cerebral dysfunction after cardiopulmonary resuscitation from various causes
  6.Adjunctive treatment of shock
  7.Brain edema
  8.Pulmonary edema, except cardiogenic pulmonary edema
  9, extrusion syndrome
  10, amputated toe, finger, and skin transplantation post-operative blood flow disorders
  11.Drug and chemical poisoning
  12, acute ischemic-hypoxic encephalopathy
  Second, the indications
  1.CO poisoning and other toxic encephalopathies
  2.Sudden deafness
  3.Central plasmacytoid chorioretinitis
  4, optic nerve injury
  5, Periodontal disease
  6.Recurrent oral ulcers
  7, ischemic cerebrovascular disease cerebral arteriosclerosis, cerebral thrombosis, cerebral infarction, TIA
  8.Cranial injury concussion, cerebral contusion, intracranial hematoma removal after surgery, brainstem injury
  9.Recovery period of cerebral hemorrhage
  10.Vascular neuropathic headache
  11.Peripheral vascular disease vasculitis, Raynaud’s disease, deep vein thrombosis, etc.
  12.Cerebral palsy
  13.Viral encephalitis
  14.Vegetative state
  15.Peripheral nerve injury
  16.Facial neuritis
  17.Fracture and poor bone healing after fracture
  18.Aseptic osteonecrosis
  19.Peptic ulcer
  20.Ulcerative colitis
  21, paralytic intestinal obstruction
  22, vertigo syndrome Meniere’s syndrome, etc.
  23.Spinal cord injury
  24.Osteomyelitis
  25.Multiple sclerosis
  26, chronic skin ulcers, arterial blood supply disorders, venous stasis, decubitus ulcers
  27.Post plastic surgery
  28.Post-implantation
  29.Pustular rash
  30.Pityriasis rosea
  31.Atherosclerotic heart disease, angina pectoris, myocardial infarction
  32.Tachyarrhythmia atrial fibrillation, premature beats, tachycardia
  33, myocarditis
  34.Benign intracranial tumor postoperative
  35.Malignant tumors need to be combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy
  36.Diabetes mellitus and diabetic foot
  37.Fatigue syndrome
  38.Sports injury
  39, radiation injury bone, soft tissue injury and cystitis, etc.
  40.Burn injury
  IV. Contraindications
  I. Absolute contraindications
  1.Untreated pneumothorax, mediastinal emphysema
  2.Large alveoli
  3.Active internal bleeding and hemorrhagic disease
  4.Tuberculous cavity formation and hemoptysis
  Relative contraindications
  1.Severe upper respiratory tract infection
  2.Severe emphysema
  3.Bronchiectasis
  4.Severe sinusitis
  5.Atrioventricular block of more than II degree of heart
  6.High blood pressure 160/100 mmHg.
  7, bradycardia “50 times / min
  8.Untreated malignant tumor
  9, retinal detachment
  10, early pregnancy within 3 months.