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Physiological Principles of Hyperbaric Oxygenation

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Handbook on Hyperbaric Medicine

Abstract

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) entails exposure of the whole body to increased atmospheric pressure usually between 2 and 3 atmospheres (atm abs) while breathing pure oxygen or oxygen-enriched gas mixtures. The therapeutic use of 100% O2 at pressures exceeding 3 atm abs is limited, because it is frequently accompanied by rapid onset, in minutes, of neurological symptoms, leading to seizures and loss of consciousness. Neurological toxicity sharply limits the upper limits of inspired oxygen partial pressures to 2000 mmHg. The therapeutic use of exposure pressures higher than 3 atm abs, while breathing helium-oxygen (Heliox) or nitrogen-oxygen (Nitrox) mixtures, does not appear to have significant clinical advantages over the exposure of 3 atm abs. A low limit for therapeutic oxygenation is exposure to oxygen-enriched air at i atm abs (ambient pressure), as is routinely used in the hospital setting. Clinical experience has shown that significant therapeutic results appear at 1.6–1.8 atm abs oxygen.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anaesthesiology, SUNY Health Science Center, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA

    E. M. Camporesi (Professor and Chair)

  2. Anaesthesiology and Critical Care SUNY Health Science Center, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA

    M. F. Mascia (Assistant Professor)

  3. Emergency Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    S. R. Thom (Assistant Professor)

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  1. E. M. Camporesi
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  2. M. F. Mascia
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  3. S. R. Thom
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Anaesthesia, Intensive and Hyperbaric Care Department, Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Via Riccardo Galeazzi 4, 20161, Milano, Italy

    G. Oriani

  2. Divers Alert Network Europe, Via Puglie 82, 64026, Roseto degli Abruzzi, Italy

    A. Marroni

  3. Service de Réanimation Mèdicale et de Médicine Hyperbare, Hôpital Albert Calmette, Blvd. du Prof. Leclercq, 59037, Lille Cedex, France

    F. Wattel

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Camporesi, E.M., Mascia, M.F., Thom, S.R. (1996). Physiological Principles of Hyperbaric Oxygenation. In: Oriani, G., Marroni, A., Wattel, F. (eds) Handbook on Hyperbaric Medicine. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2198-3_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-2198-3_2

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