Nitrox permits direct exit for attendants during extended hyperbaric oxygen treatment

Area of Science:

• Hyperbaric Medicine
• Physiology
• Respiratory Therapy

Background:

• Multiplace hyperbaric chambers require protocols for attendant safety and patient treatment.
• Nitrox (60.5% O2) enables extended hyperbaric oxygen treatments (HOPAN) up to 200 minutes at 2.8 ATA.
• HOPAN allows direct decompression, enhancing operational flexibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Hyperbaric Oxygen Protocol for Attendants using Nitrox (HOPAN).
• To compare attendant comfort and symptom incidence between HOPAN and local treatment protocols (LTP).
• To assess patient outcomes following hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBO2T) managed under HOPAN.

Main Methods:

• HOPAN protocol involved cycles of nitrox breathing and chamber air for attendants.
• Data collected from 88 HOPAN sessions involving 59 attendants and 30 patients (2007-2009).
• Attendant perceptions were gathered via anonymous enquiry; patient records were reviewed for six months post-HBO2T.

Main Results:

• HOPAN sessions ranged from 55-167 minutes (median 140 minutes).
• Attendant comfort was comparable between HOPAN and LTP.
• Significantly fewer symptoms (paresthesias, joint pain) reported with HOPAN versus LTP; no complications documented for attendants or patients.

Conclusions:

• Nitrox breathing for hyperbaric chamber attendants facilitates flexible HBO2T up to 200 minutes at 2.8 ATA within no-decompression limits.
• HOPAN appears to be a safe and comfortable protocol for attendants, potentially reducing treatment-related symptoms.
• Findings support further research into HOPAN for optimizing hyperbaric oxygen therapy dosage and protocols.