Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) Prescription

Contraindications For HBOT Care:

• Patients taking these medications:

1. 1. Bleomycin
   2. Disulfiram
   3. Mafenide Acetate

• Patients who have or are suspected to have:

1. 1. Hereditary Spherocytosis
   2. Sickle Cell Anemia
   3. COPD

Hyperbaric oxygen is usually well tolerated with few side-effects. However, there are some side-effects that patients may experience. Most of these items below are avoidable and/or reversible with our trained hyperbaric technicians attending to the patient during treatment.

• Visual refractive changes (typically only short lived)
• Cataract maturation (HBOT may not cause cataracts, but may cause them to mature)
• Claustrophobia
• Hypoglycemia
• Barotrauma of the ear (with our trained technicians this is avoidable)
• Round or oval window rupture (with our trained technicians this is avoidable)
• Sinus squeeze – can occur if patient has a cold/congestion
• Tooth squeeze – can occur rarely with a poorly done tooth filling/dental work.
• Oxygen toxicity seizures (with our trained technicians this is typically avoidable/reversible)
• Pulmonary oxygen toxicity (with our trained technicians this is typically avoidable/reversible)
• Decompression sickness (with our trained technicians this is typically avoidable)

Rare complications:

• Pneumothorax or pulmonary barotrauma (if patient has fragile lungs or recent lung injury)

If you have any questions about these at all, please email Dr. Kleene with subject HBOT inquiry with questions specific to writing the prescription for 100% O₂.