Creating a hyperbaric oxygen treatment unit in a major medical center: a personal experience

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy has regained the interest of physicians and surgeons, including plastic surgeons, after some years of disinterest and suspicion on the part of many. Under the leadership of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, the rationale for hyperbaric oxygen treatment has been subjected to rigorous review. Interest in hyperbaric oxygen therapy on the part of plastic surgeons is largely related to its adjunctive use in the management of compromised tissue. When the decision is made to install a hyperbaric unit in a hospital, the next most critical decisions will be the choice of a medical director who has whole-hearted enthusiasm for the project, the choice of a monoplace or multiplace chamber, a suitable site for the unit, ancillary equipment to support the unit, and staffing that is appropriate to the uses conceived for the unit. Pitfalls and problems are described.