What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy?

What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy?

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a modern medical treatment in which the body is exposed to 100% pure oxygen at increased atmospheric pressure inside a specially designed chamber.

The increased pressure allows a substantially greater amount of oxygen to dissolve in the blood plasma. This significantly enhances oxygen delivery to the tissues, achieving higher levels of tissue oxygenation than under normal atmospheric conditions.

The treatment is used internationally for recognised medical indications and may serve as an adjunctive therapeutic approach in selected clinical settings.

The scientific basis of hyperbaric oxygen therapy

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is based on a fundamental physiological mechanism:

When environmental pressure increases while pure oxygen is administered, the amount of oxygen transported and made available to the tissues rises significantly.

Under normal conditions, most oxygen is carried bound to haemoglobin. Under hyperbaric conditions, however, additional oxygen dissolves directly into the blood plasma, allowing for:

• increased oxygen diffusion into areas with reduced blood supply;
• improved microcirculation;
• support for cellular metabolic processes.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy does not replace other medical treatments. It is used as a supportive therapy that helps improve the tissue environment.

How does hyperbaric oxygen therapy affect the body?

The increased partial pressure of oxygen in the blood directly influences the biological function of the tissues.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy may contribute to:

1. fibroblast activation;
2. increased collagen production;
3. angiogenesis, meaning the formation of new capillary blood vessels;
4. support for the normal immune response;
5. reduction of tissue swelling.

These mechanisms are directly involved in the body’s natural processes of tissue healing and repair.

At cellular level, the treatment increases oxygen availability in areas where oxygen is essential for functional recovery.

How Does It Differ from Conventional Oxygen Therapy?

Conventional oxygen therapy is administered at normal atmospheric pressure, usually through a mask or nasal cannula.

By contrast, during hyperbaric oxygen therapy:

• oxygen is administered at a concentration of 100%;
• the pressure is higher than normal atmospheric pressure;
• A significantly greater amount of oxygen dissolves in plasma blood.

The difference lies not only in the concentration of oxygen but, more importantly, in the increased pressure, which makes it possible to achieve levels of tissue oxygenation that cannot be reached through conventional oxygen therapy.

For this reason, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a specialised medical procedure performed in appropriately equipped facilities under medical supervision.