Undersea Hyperbar M
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Undersea Hyperbar M · Jul 2015
Review Case ReportsResearch report: Charcoal type used for hookah smoking influences CO production.
A hookah smoker who was treated for severe carbon monoxide poisoning with hyperbaric oxygen reported using a different type of charcoal prior to hospital admission, i.e., quick-light charcoal. This finding led to a study aimed at determining whether CO production differs between charcoals commonly used for hookah smoking, natural and quick-light. Our hypothesis was that quick-light charcoal produces significantly more CO than natural charcoal. ⋯ The mean CO levels produced by quick-light charcoal over 90 minutes was significantly higher (3728 ± 2028) compared to natural charcoal (1730 ± 501 ppm, p = 0.016). However, the temperature was significantly greater when burning natural charcoal (292 ± 87) compared to quick-light charcoal (247 ± 92 degrees C, p = 0.013). The high levels of CO produced when using quick-light charcoals may be contributing to the increase in reported hospital admissions for severe CO poisoning.
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Undersea Hyperbar M · Jul 2015
ReviewClinical results in brain injury trials using HBO2 therapy: Another perspective.
The current debate surrounding the use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) for neurological indications, specifically mild to moderate chronic traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and post-concussion syndrome (PCS), is mired in confusion due to the use of non-validated controls and an unfamiliarity by many practitioners of HBO2 therapy with the experimental literature. In the past 40 years, the use of an air sham (21% oxygen, 1.14-1.5 atmospheres absolute/atm abs) in clinical and animal studies, instead of observational or crossover controls, has led to false acceptance of the null hypothesis (declaring no effect when one is present), due to the biological activity of these "sham" controls. The recent Department of Defense/Veterans Administration (DoD/VA) sponsored trials, previous published reports on the use of HBO2 therapy on stroke and mTBI and preliminary reports from the HOPPS Army trial, have helped to highlight the biological activity of pressurized air, validate the development of a convincing control for future studies and demonstrate the effectiveness of a hyperbaric intervention for mTBI/ PCS. Approval of HBO2 for neurological indications, especially for mTBI/PCS, should be granted at the federal, state and certifying body levels as a safe and viable treatment for recovery in the post-acute phase.
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Undersea Hyperbar M · Jul 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialCognitive function in a traumatic brain injury hyperbaric oxygen randomized trial.
Determine changes in cognition and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in subjects with traumatic brain injury (TBI) exposed to 2.4 atmospheres absolute (atm abs) breathing 100% oxygen vs. sham (1.3 atm-abs air). ⋯ There was no statistically significant difference between a sham and 2.4 atm abs hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) in cognitive scores from ImPACT and Brain-checkers or composite scores in the PCL-M; however both groups showed improvement. Subgroups with favorable response to treatment are identified. Future studies evaluating HBO2 should consider concussion histories or focus on validating subgroup response to determine HBO2 as a potential adjunctive treatment for persistent symptoms following TBI.
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Undersea Hyperbar M · Sep 2014
Case ReportsFacial baroparesis: a critical differential diagnosis for scuba diving accidents--case report.
Facial nerve baroparesis is a rare and potentially under-reported complication of scuba diving. A diver, after surfacing from a shallow dive, developed isolated left-sided facial palsy accompanied by pain and decreased hearing in the left ear. No other signs or symptoms attributable to a scuba diving accident were detected. ⋯ He showed no residual or new symptoms 24 hours later. The differential diagnosis of facial neurological deficit after diving includes decompression sickness, cerebral air embolism due to pulmonary barotrauma, facial nerve barotrauma and common conditions such as stroke and Bell's palsy. It is important to recognize the condition since recompression treatment can further damage the facial nerve.
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Despite established exposure limits and safety standards, and the availability of carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, each year 50,000 people in the United States visit emergency departments for CO poisoning. Carbon monoxide poisoning can occur from brief exposures to high levels of CO, or from longer exposures to lower levels. Common symptoms include headaches, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, general malaise, and altered mental status. ⋯ Hyperbaric oxygen improves mitochondrial function, inhibits lipid peroxidation transiently, impairs leukocyte adhesion to injured microvasculature, and reduces brain inflammation caused by the CO-induced adduct formation of myelin basic protein. Based upon three supportive randomized clinical trials in humans and considerable evidence from animal studies, HBO2 should be considered for all cases of acute symptomatic CO poisoning. Hyperbaric oxygen is indicated for CO poisoning complicated by cyanide poisoning, often concomitantly with smoke inhalation.