Overview

Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, NC, offers hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) using a Perry Baromedical Systems Sigma II, a dual patient multiplace chamber capable of providing treatment pressures up to 3.0 ATA. The Hyperbaric Medicine Unit is located in the Emergency Department to provide an ideal setting for management of the unstable or emergent patient. Full critical care services, including respiratory support, invasive blood pressure monitoring and titration of vasoactive infusions, can be continued while the patient receives hyperbaric oxygen treatments.

Christian Tomaszewski, M.D., FACEP, FACMT and Eric Lavonas, M.D., FACEP, FACMT, provide medical oversight of the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit. Other hyperbaric medicine physicians are trained in emergency medicine, anesthesiology, pulmonary medicine, and general surgery. The unit is staffed by six certified hyperbaric medicine technologists under the direction of Jack Tench, CHT, RCP, RRT.

In addition to direct patient care, the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit actively participates in clinical research trials.

Accepted indications for hyperbaric oxygen therapy include:

Emergency indications:

		Air or other gas embolism
		Carbon monoxide poisoning, with or without cyanide poisoning
		Clostridial monecrosis (gas gangrene)
		Crush injuries and other traumatic ischemias
		Decompression illness
		Exceptional blood loss anemia
		Necrotizing soft tissue infections (Fournier's Gangrene, necrotizing fasciitis)

Non-emergency indications:

		Enhancement of healing in selected problem wounds in diabetic patients
		Late effects of radiation to normal tissue (soft tissue and bony necrosis)
		Rescue therapy of compromised skin grafts and flaps
		Refractory deep fungal infections (mucormycosis, aspergillosis, coccidiomycosis)
		Refractory osteomyelitis