Hyperbaric oxygen for radiation damage repair

[Mircea]

Originally Posted by steiconi

Has anybody done Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy to help repair damage from medical radiation?

I have a surgical wound that isn't healing well. I went to a wound care center, and they reviewed my medical history, then identified the chemo radiation I had 17 years ago as a probable culprit, and suggested HBO.

I'm interested in doing it, have been reading around the web. It will likely improve things, but nobody is claiming it will totally "cure" all the damage. Any improvement is good, right? Side effects are minimal, and resolve after treatment ends.

But it's a huge time commitment: they start with 40 sessions minimum. That's two hours a day, 5 days a week, for 8 weeks. The center is about 45 minutes from home, so it's going to take at least 3-1/2 hours a day.

If I understand you correctly, you said 17 years ago?

There are many reasons why surgical and other wounds do not heal properly/timely. A patient undergoing chemo-therapy is at risk for issues but not someone who had chemo-therapy 17 years ago.

Has anyone told you that you are immuno-compromised as a direct result of your chemo-therapy 17 years ago?

If you know for a fact that the reason your wound is not healing is due to hypoxia of the surrounding tissue, then HBO may work. Or not. If the cause is for other reasons then HBO isn't going to work. It could be stress, your diet, improper sleep, poor circulation, diabetes, pre-diabetes, vascular disease, an undiagnosed infection, and any number of other things or a combination of those things.

I am skeptical of HBO due to the fact that more and more patients are having problems with wounds of all types (surgical and non-surgical) not healing properly and that it is nearing epidemic levels. A 2016 study calls it the "Silent Epidemic" and says the US spent $25 Billion on wound care in 2015. You can read that here:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/...1111/iwj.12623

Did all those people have chemo-therapy? Nope.

I think you need to know why your surgical wound is not healing properly and then take effective steps to resolve it.

[steiconi]

Actually, doctors have discovered that many patients who had radiation therapy have continuing problems for decades. They don't heal as quickly, they are more likely to develop fistulas and infections. Many oncologists no longer recommend radiation because they don't feel the risk balances the benefit. I suspect these cases are coming to light because more patients are living longer, thanks to healthcare advances.

In my case, the radiation shrank the tumor 40%. But it made the surrounding tissue so fragile that the surgeon had to cut more out. And I've been plagued with fistulas and infections ever since.

[steiconi]

Originally Posted by NORTY FLATZ

Sorry, can't comment on the radiation damage repair specifically.

But....I can tell you that the HBOT works wonders for those diabetics that are on the verge of amputation. Yes, it DOES take it's sweet time in efficacy. When I have a patient that is "new" to the hyperbaric chamber oxy therapy (HBOT) I tell them, "You may not notice any wound improvement after the first 28 to 30 visits, but STAY THE COURSE as all the healing/closure happens FAST in the last week of therapy." They never believe me, until the last week of therapy. (Usually, insurance pays for 39 visits...)

I have a new patient starting HBOT tomorrow, replacing 1 that had his 39 visits. He's going to keep his right foot (for now.)

Now, about the therapy itself...

1. You'll "dive" to 2 bar (about 34 feet down, if you were in water.)

2. It'll take about 15 minutes to arrive at depth.

3. You'll spend about 60-90 mins at depth.

4. You'll "rise" from depth very slowly (to avoid the "bends.) Figure about a half hour-45 mins.

5. This "diving and rising action can be VERY hard on your ear drums. Be advised. (No gum either.)

6. You can take NOTHING with you inside the chamber. No book, no ipad, no phone, no anything.

7. Be sure you potty just prior to loading into the chamber. You can be "ok" when you go in, then when you compress you'll still be "ok. It's the "de-compression" that gets bladders. Don't be afraid to ask for an adult diaper, as you may NEED it! (Very common.)

8. Prepare for incredible BOREDOM.

9. As I said above, HAVE PATIENCE, Grasshopper!

Thanks, appreciate the advice. Especially about the potty!

[steiconi]

There is some question about insurance paying for this, so I did a single session, and we'll wait to see if they pay before doing all 40 treatments.

It was...boring.

They don't allow any personal items--book, tablet, phone, embroidery, nothing--in the chamber. Just me, a cotton hospital gown, a cotton blanket, and a bottle of water.

They use a fairly large acrylic chamber that was so clean that I had to touch the top to be sure it was there.

I had no trouble clearing my ears. Temperature was fine until decompression, when it got cold and I was happy for the blanket.

A TV was mounted above each chamber, and I was able to pick a channel to watch. Food Network sounded good, but after an hour of shows about burgers (I don't even eat red meat), I asked to change to HGTV for an hour of high-end remodeling shows.
Gah, daytime TV, and I had to watch commercials! Next time (if there is a next time) I'll go through their DVD library and find a movie.

We've also looked into renting or buying a chamber to use at home. It would cost about $6000 or so to buy one (cheaper than the $20,000 for 40 sessions at the hospital, and could be resold after).
But they're 7 feet long. Where would I put it?
Standard models just increase normal air pressure; if you want high oxygen like at the hospital, you need an oxygen concentrator as well, but I suspect you won't get to pure oxygen.

The home units have tiny windows, so it might be hard to watch TV. They *say* you can take books or electronics inside, but those are supposed to be fire hazards in high oxygen environments, so I'm leery of that idea.

I think the hospital equipment will give me the best medical treatment, home units not as much, but maybe better than nothing.