Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is the intermittent use of 100 percent oxygen under increased pressure to treat a wide range of medical conditions. The increased pressure is achieved by use of either a mono-place hyperbaric oxygen chamber, which is usually pressurized with 100 percent oxygen, or a multi-place hyperbaric oxygen chamber for two to twelve patients, which is compressed with air. In the multi-place HBOT chamber, the patient breathes the 100 percent oxygen through a mask or hood. The mono-place HBOT chamber has the advantage that there is surface oxygenation of non-healed incisions and ulcers in addition to the oxygen pushed into the fluids of the body with HBOT. It is the saturation of body fluids with oxygen during HBOT that delivers the majority of oxygen to ischemic areas.
History of the Use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT)

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) was first used in the Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber
1890’s to control infection.  The basis for modern hyperbaric oxygen therapy was developed in the 1930’s.  There are now more than 23,000 articles on HBOT in the medical literature.  During the past decade, there has been rapid expansion of the availability of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy facilities which are now located in most metropolitan areas in the United States .  The use of HBOT is also increasing in Canada and Mexico .  Clinical indications for HBOT are also increasing rapidly.  There are usual and customary indications for use of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in treating patients with problems of healing or control of infection.  Recognition of the benefit of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for these difficult cases has moved the use of HBOT as a treatment of last resort to an important part of primary treatment.  Diabetics have problems controlling infections and have a higher incidence of vascular disease in their brain, legs and feet.  Diabetes is the cause for nearly 50% of the non-traumatic amputations in the United States .