The power expression for cumulative oxygen toxicity and the exponential recovery were successfully applied to various features of oxygen toxicity. From the basic equation, we derived expressions for a protocol in which PO(2) changes with time. The parameters of the power equation were solved by using nonlinear regression for the reduction in vital capacity (DeltaVC) in humans: %DeltaVC = 0.0082...

Oxygen is a drug with several therapeutic applications. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBO) consists in the administration of oxygen, at pressures superior than 1 atmosphere inside a sealed chamber. The growing interest on HBO generated many studies that demonstrated its clinical interest in several pathologies and its safety. In the field of muscle injuries treatment, HBO is promising but more stu...

Perianal involvement in Crohn's disease is common (< or = 50%), distressing, and frequently refractory to treatment. Clinical features include painful induration and stenosis, discharging fistulas, and fissures. The pathogenesis of these lesions is unclear, but local ischemia and secondary anaerobic infection may play a role. Following three sporadic reports of successful treatment with hyperba...

Perianal involvement in Crohn's disease is common (<= 50%), distressing, and frequently refractory to treatment. Clinical features include painful induration and stenosis, discharging fistulas, and fissures. The pathogenesis of these lesions is unclear, but local ischemia and secondary anaerobic infection may play a role. Following three sporadic reports of successful treatment with hyperbaric ...

In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study we aimed to assess the effectiveness of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy for treating patients with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Of the 71 patients, 37 were allocated to the HBO group and 34 to the control (normal air) group. Both groups received 15 therapy sessions in a hyperbaric chamber. Pain, oedema and range of motion (ROM...

In the mountain climbing community, conventional prevention of altitude mountain sickness (AMS) relies primarily on a formal acclimatization period. AMS symptoms during mountaineering climbs are managed with medication, oxygen and minor recompression (1524-2438 m altitude) using a portable chamber, such as the Gamow Bag. This is not always an acceptable therapy alternative in a predominantly el...

In 2001 the Working Group (WG) "Safety" was created within the European COST Action B14 "Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy" with the main objectives to elaborate recommendations of good practice for hyperbaric medicine and to follow the European normalisation process of hyperbaric chambers. During three years of preparation of the European Code of Good Practice (ECGP) for HBO, the relevant documents co...

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) is increasingly used in a number of areas of medical practice. It is a unique intervention whose method of action is not well understood. Clinicians may request its use for their patients, but often will not fully understand its mechanisms. It is hoped that this review and discussion of HBO and the literature surrounding its use may be useful to clinicians who ar...