Photo supplied.
After twelve knee surgeries in thirteen years on a single limb, Bryan McBain was discouraged, to say the least. Full and partial knee replacements, scopes and scar tissue removals had left a persistent, oozing wound a full year after his most recent procedure. A retired nurse, his wife Pat was determined to find a treatment that would address the persistent fluid draining from her husband knee and alleviate his ongoing discomfort.
Pat’s research led her to a Hyperbaric Medical Centre at Rouge Valley Centenary Hospital in Scarborough. Hyperbaric Oxygen treatment (HBOT) is commonly associated with treatment of “the bends” or decompression sickness resulting from a rapid change in pressure from surfacing too quickly from a deep underwater dive. It is also a recognized if little-known treatment for acute and chronic conditions including carbon monoxide poisoning, chronic diabetic ulcers, chronic anemia, necrotizing soft tissue infections, bone infections, thermal burns and arterial gas embolisms.
Photo supplied.
During treatment, patients are placed in a closed hyperbaric chamber and the atmospheric pressure inside the chamber is gradually increased to a prescribed level. The patient breathes 100% oxygen under the elevated atmospheric pressure for a pre-determined amount of time. The chamber in the Scarborough facility accommodates a single patient and a typical treatment lasts approximately two hours. The number of treatments required varies. Bryan received twenty, all covered by OHIP. As a result, the wound has healed significantly and no further surgeries, including a possible amputation, are in sight.
A decade ago, hyperbaric oxygen treatment centres were rare, but spurred by new information, new clinics like the one in Scarborough are becoming more common, where hyperbaric oxygen is used to compliment mainstream treatment, particularly for chronic wounds. This is particularly good news for the treatment of complex, non-healing wounds which are debilitating for the patient and expensive for the health care system.
Introduced in the 17th century, hyperbaric oxygen treatment is still seen as “snake oil” by some medical professionals. Evidence in support of the treatment has grown to the point where it has been approved by Health Canada and covered under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan for certain applications, including the treatment of complex wounds, diabetic foot ulcers, non-healing radiation damaged tissue, and compromised flaps and grafts.
Bryan may not be ready to run a hurdles race, but he is grateful to his wife Pat and the medical staff in Scarborough whose efforts helped him find relief from a persistent wound that has significantly reduced his quality of life. They hope by sharing their experience, others may find relief. To learn more about the treatment, visit www.hyperbaric.ca. KG
