Hyperbaric therapy: report of its utilization at the Toronto General Hospital

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy offers definitive treatment for decompression sickness, air embolism and carbon monoxide intoxication. It appears to be a very useful adjunct in the management of gas gangrene and may be of value in certain infections that have defied conventional therapy. Intermittent OHP seems to help maintain the viability of ischemic tissues where oxygen requirements are low and where the potential for circulatory restoration is present. Extended utilization in association with radiotherapy and cardiac surgery requires more specialized facilities or still awaits a sounder foundation based on experimentation and controlled clinical studies.