HBO Emergencies: TRAUMA
Trauma can have many manifestations including crush injuries,
compartment syndromes, avulsion injuries, fractures, vessel damage, acute
peripheral ischemia, a threatened amputation, traumatic amputation, and
lacerations.
Hyperbaric Medicine is in important adjunctive therapy to the conventional
medical and surgical management of trauma. Gross manifestations of
trauma are surgically and medically corrected by large vessel and fracture
repair, fasciotomy for compartment syndrome, replantation of traumatic
amputation, laceration repair and grafting as well as correction of traumatic
shock, hypovolemia, hyperkalemia and metabolic acidosis. The addition of
hyperbaric therapy to this conventional management can correct the
consequences of trauma not amenable to either surgical or medical
management. These manifestations include small vessel interruption,
traumatic edema, diffuse compartment syndrome and rhabdomyolysis,
reperfusion injury, and diffuse ischemia. The use of hyperbaric oxygen
therapy in the setting of trauma injury decreases infection risk, nerve and
tissue damage thereby increasing tissue salvage. There is stimulation of
growth factors necessary for repair. Most importantly there is correction of
traumatic ischemia and preservation of marginal tissue with a decrease in
the devitalization of tissue and subsequent tissue loss. HBO has special
utility in cases of threatened extremity, digit or tissue amputation,
replantation or graft compromise.
HBO Saves Lives and Limbs
Compartment Syndrome of the Leg
Web Site Designed and Created by Robert David Tufft MD
HBO Emergencies: TRAUMA
Trauma can have many manifestations including crush injuries,
compartment syndromes, avulsion injuries, fractures, vessel damage, acute
peripheral ischemia, a threatened amputation, traumatic amputation, and
lacerations.
Hyperbaric Medicine is in important adjunctive therapy to the conventional
medical and surgical management of trauma. Gross manifestations of
trauma are surgically and medically corrected by large vessel and fracture
repair, fasciotomy for compartment syndrome, replantation of traumatic
amputation, laceration repair and grafting as well as correction of traumatic
shock, hypovolemia, hyperkalemia and metabolic acidosis. The addition of
hyperbaric therapy to this conventional management can correct the
consequences of trauma not amenable to either surgical or medical
management. These manifestations include small vessel interruption,
traumatic edema, diffuse compartment syndrome and rhabdomyolysis,
reperfusion injury, and diffuse ischemia. The use of hyperbaric oxygen
therapy in the setting of trauma injury decreases infection risk, nerve and
tissue damage thereby increasing tissue salvage. There is stimulation of
growth factors necessary for repair. Most importantly there is correction of
traumatic ischemia and preservation of marginal tissue with a decrease in
the devitalization of tissue and subsequent tissue loss. HBO has special
utility in cases of threatened extremity, digit or tissue amputation,
replantation or graft compromise.
HBO Saves Lives and Limbs
Compartment Syndrome of the Leg
