New Hyperbaric Chambers

New Hyperbaric Chambers at Springfield Hospital

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. -- Doctors at RiverBend Hospital in Springfield are now able to use hyperbaric chambers to treat patients.



"It's not a therapy that works predictably 100 percent of the time, like take an aspirin and call me in the morning," said Dr. Robert Barnes, Hyperbaric Center Medical Director.



But it doesn't mean the people who spend time in one of these chambers don't notice a difference.



"A majority of the patients are doing better than when we first saw them," Dr. Barnes said.



Doctors at PeaceHealth now have another tool at their disposal in the form of two brand new hyperbaric chambers.



They help treat patients with non-healing wounds or soft tissue damage.



Kay Wilson, for example, was diagnosed with tonsil cancer last year.



"Three weeks ago I couldn't even eat mashed potatoes, and this morning I had toast, a fried egg and applesauce and yogurt for breakfast," Wilson said.



To put it simply, a hyperbaric chamber is an enclosed tube. The inside is pressurized with 100 percent oxygen, which creates a healing atmosphere two to three times greater than normal.



"Under those conditions, the concentration of oxygen in the patient's tissues is greatly increased compared to normal, and that engenders the growth of blood vessels that supply injured tissue," Dr. Barnes said.



Wilson says her cancer is gone, and right now she's about halfway through her hyperbaric treatments.



She says she's grateful to the RiverBend staff for helping her get her life back to normal.



"It's just helped me so much. I can't even tell you...I just feel really blessed to be here," Wilson said.



Hyperbaric chambers can also be used to treat carbon monoxide poisoning, certain kinds of skin and bone infections, gangrene or decompression sickness.



To figure out if hyperbarics will work for you, contact your doctor.

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