by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Aug 13, 2020 | COVID-19, COVID-19 & HBOT, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) and the American College of Hyperbaric Medicine (ACHM) have endorsed an updated position statement on the use of HBO2 for COVID-19 pneumonia (follow this link for the full statement). It’s long statement but worth...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Aug 11, 2020 | COVID-19, COVID-19 & HBOT, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
The results of a prospective study of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for COVID-19 respiratory distress are available ahead of print in Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine. Gorenstein and colleagues treated 20 COVID-19 patients with HBOT and used propensity-matched...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jul 23, 2020 | COVID-19, COVID-19 & HBOT, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
In February of 2019, CMS approved hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as a topic for audit by the RACs (Recovery Audit Contractors) (see links below). I have not heard of any hospital getting a RAC audit, perhaps because of the COVID crisis, but it doesn’t appear that...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jul 22, 2020 | COVID-19, COVID-19 & HBOT, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Yesterday there was a news report on one of the clinical trials using hyperbaric oxygen therapy to reduce the need for intubation in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia. There is nothing magic about a hyperbaric chamber for COVID-19 related hypoxia. It is simply a...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jul 16, 2020 | COVID-19, COVID-19 & HBOT, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
This article was provided by my friend and colleague, Julio R. Garcia RN, WCC, ACHRN, Program Director for the Center for Wound Care and Hyperbaric Medicine at Springhill Medical Center. “Helmet-based ventilation” may become even more vital as battles continue with...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jul 9, 2020 | COVID-19, COVID-19 & HBOT, Healthcare Payment Policy, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) has been used for many decades to treat a variety of maladies which have as their common denominator low tissue oxygen levels (hypoxia). Thanks to the pioneering work of Steve Thom and others, HBOT has also been proven to mitigate the...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Jun 25, 2020 | Fight the Good Fight, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
On June 11, 2020 the Diving, Hyperbaric Medicine and Difficult Wounds Fellowship was launched as a sub specialty of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), in Davao City. SPMC is the biggest government hospital in the...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | May 6, 2020 | COVID-19, COVID-19 & HBOT, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
What is “Off-label” Use of HBOT? Hyperbaric oxygen chambers are medical devices that are cleared for marketing and use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for 13 indications, based on a list originally compiled by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 20, 2020 | COVID-19, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Our “COVID-19 Diaries” guest blogger gave us her thoughts about HBOT for COVID-19 through the lens of a pulmonary/critical care physician. HBOT may have promise in reducing the need for intubation and improving lung recovery. I have gotten a lot of comments and emails...
by Caroline Fife, M.D. | Apr 4, 2020 | COVID-19, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
UPDATE 4/6/20: A pilot study on HBOT for COVID-19 is starting in New York. Chen and colleagues have reported the results of 5 patients with severe to moderate Adult Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). Patients received a...
