Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical procedure where patients breathe pure oxygen in a high-pressure environment. The normal atmospheric pressure is 1 atmosphere (atm); in hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the pressure typically increases to 1.4 – 3 atm (our HBOT chamber provides a pressure of 1.5 – 2 atm). When patients breathe pure oxygen in a high-pressure environment, oxygen dissolves in the blood, interstitial fluid, cellular fluid, and other body fluids, significantly increasing the oxygen concentration in the body. This brings about multiple physiological responses:
Enhances cellular function and promotes angiogenesis
Fights bacterial infections and boosts the immune system
Accelerates wound healing and repair of damaged tissues
Applications of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can be used to treat a variety of conditions. The indications approved for HBOT by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include:
- Air and gas bubbles in the blood vessels
- Anemia (severe anemia when blood transfusions cannot be used)
- Burns (severe and large burns treated at a specialized burn center)
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Crush injury
- Decompression sickness (diving risk)
- Gas gangrene
- Hearing loss (complete hearing loss that occurs suddenly and without any known cause)
- Infection of the skin and bone (severe)
- Radiation injury
- Skin graft flap at risk of tissue death
- Vision loss (when sudden and painless in one eye due to blockage of blood flow)
- Wounds (non-healing, diabetic foot ulcers)
According to the Chinese Medical Association’s Hyperbaric Oxygen Medicine Branch, the applications of hyperbaric oxygen therapy are categorised into “Category I Indications” and “Category II Indications”. The former refers to conditions for which there is medical necessity for HBOT based on existing clinical evidence, while the latter includes diseases or symptoms that may benefit from HBOT.
Category I Indications
- Decompression sickness
- Gas embolism (diving, iatrogenic, accidental)
- Acute carbon monoxide poisoning
- Cyanide poisoning
- Flap ischemia
- Compartment syndrome
- Crush injury
- Postoperative vascular occlusion in severed limbs (fingers, toes)
- Hemorrhagic shock not amenable to blood transfusion, such as cases with no blood supply or religious objections to transfusion
- Necrotizing soft tissue infections (necrotizing cellulitis, necrotizing fasciitis, necrotizing myositis, etc.)
- Gas gangrene
- Intractable osteomyelitis
- Intracranial abscess
- Intractable fungal infections
- Intestinal wall pneumatosis cystoides
- Necrotizing otitis externa
- Radiation-induced bone necrosis (diagnosed, prophylactic)
- Radiation-induced soft tissue necrosis (diagnosed, prophylactic)
- Radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis
- Radiation-induced proctitis
- Preventive treatment for radiation-induced mandibular injury in oral surgery (preoperative, postoperative)
- Diabetic infected ulcers
- Pyoderma gangrenosum
- Pressure ulcers
- Burn injuries
- Chronic venous ulcers
- Sudden sensorineural hearing loss
- Central retinal artery occlusion
- Traumatic brain injury
- Noise-induced hearing loss
- Acute central serous chorioretinopathy
- Acute occlusive disorders of retinal blood supply
Category II Indications
- Hypoxic brain injury
- Acute/chronic cerebral hypoperfusion
- Stroke recovery phase
- Developmental delay
- Meningitis
- Cerebral edema
- Acute infectious polyradiculoneuritis
- Viral encephalitis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Spinal cord injury
- Peripheral nerve damage
- Autism
- Non-vascular causes of chronic brain lesions (e.g., Parkinson’s disease)
- Cognitive impairment (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease)
- Neurological demyelinating diseases caused by other factors (toxicity, ischemia, etc.), such as delayed brain damage from carbon monoxide poisoning
- Acute coronary syndrome
- Myocardial infarction
- Psychogenic shock
- Chronic peripheral vascular insufficiency
- Aseptic necrosis of the femoral head
- Hepatic artery thrombosis
- Rectovaginal fistula
- Surgical wound dehiscence
- Spider bites
- Frostbite
- Recurrent oral ulcers
- Chemical skin injuries
- Routine postoperative and transplant care in plastic surgery
- Carbon tetrachloride, hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, pesticide poisoning (contraindicated for paraquat poisoning)
- Toxic brain damage
- Acute heat or chemical-induced lung injury, inhalation injury
- Altitude sickness
- Periodontal disease
- Peptic ulcers
- Ulcerative colitis
- Crohn’s disease
- Liver necrosis
- Sports injuries and training recovery
- Chronic fatigue
- Osteoporosis
- Delayed healing of fractures
- Migraine or cluster headaches
- Adjuvant therapy for malignant tumors (used in combination with radiotherapy or chemotherapy)
- Paralytic ileus
- Tetanus
- Tinnitus
- Diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, postoperative retinal detachment
- Pterygium ophthalmic surgery (preoperative, postoperative)
- Psoriasis, pityriasis rosea
The applications of HBOT are extensive and continually updated as new medical research emerges. The information provided above is for reference purposes only. Determining whether your condition is suitable for HBOT requires a comprehensive assessment by our healthcare team.
Cost of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Below are the pricing details for hyperbaric oxygen therapy at our centre:
| Consultation Fee | HKD $1,200 |
| Treatment | HKD $2,500 per session (60-90 minutes) |
| Discount | Enjoy a 10% discount for every 10 sessions Enjoy a 20% discount for every 20 sessions |
Frequently Asked Questions
We are a day procedure centre accredited by the Department of Health. The hyperbaric oxygen chamber we use meets medical standards and is equipped with safety features such as pressure sensors, emergency exits, and real-time communication. In addition, our healthcare team has received advanced training in Australia and holds professional certification in hyperbaric medicine from the International Board of Undersea Medicine (IBUM). The entire hyperbaric oxygen therapy is conducted under the supervision of specially trained healthcare professionals to ensure safe and effective treatment.
Each hyperbaric oxygen therapy session lasts 60 to 90 minutes. The overall duration of the treatment varies depending on individual circumstances. Please consult our healthcare team for more information.
You will lie comfortably inside the treatment chamber. The pressure inside the chamber will gradually increase, and you will breathe pure oxygen through a mask. During the treatment, you can relax and rest inside the chamber. Our healthcare team will monitor your condition regularly.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is painless. Most people may experience slight discomfort in the ears during pressurisation or depressurisation, similar to the sensation during take-off and landing on an airplane. You can chew gum or swallow saliva to adjust the pressure.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is generally safe, but there are some potential risks, including middle ear damage, temporary nearsightedness, pneumothorax (collapsed lung), seizures, hypoglycemia, etc. It is important to inform the healthcare team if you have untreated pneumothorax, obstructive lung disease, asthma, epilepsy, fever, pregnancy, claustrophobia, high blood pressure, etc. After the treatment, you may feel tired or dizzy, but it usually improves gradually within a short period.
If it is listed as one of the FDA-approved indications, insurance companies generally consider hyperbaric oxygen therapy as an approved treatment and provide coverage. However, the coverage and terms of different medical insurances vary. Please consult your insurance company or agent for details.
Considerations include the centre’s expertise and experience, whether the facilities meet safety standards, cost-effectiveness, and the ability to provide personalised and holistic treatment plans. Additionally, since hyperbaric oxygen therapy typically requires long-term continuous treatment, the convenience of the centre’s location should also be taken into account.
Please call or WhatsApp us to schedule an appointment to meet with our doctor, who will assess your condition and explain the treatment to you. After that, you can receive treatment immediately (if conditions allow) or schedule it for another day.
* All content in this website is for informational or educational purposes only. If in doubt, you should consult your doctor or other healthcare professionals.