Hyperbaric Medicine Unit
- Chamber type
- unknown
- Accreditation
- Not listed
Contact & Hours
About Hyperbaric Medicine Unit
The Hyperbaric Medicine Unit at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) has been in operation for about a decade, providing over one thousand treatments annually. They utilize hyperbaric oxygen for various conditions, including clostridial gas gangrene, crush injuries, compartment syndrome, necrotizing soft tissue infections, osteomyelitis, radiation tissue damage, and compromised skin grafts and flaps. The unit also focuses on promoting the healing of reattached body parts. MCW Researchers have pioneered the use of hyperbaric oxygen in conjunction with NASA near-infrared Light-Emitting Diode (LED) technology for treating hard-to-heal wounds like diabetic skin ulcers, serious burns, and complications from cancer treatment. This research led to their induction into the NASA Space Technology Hall of Fame in 2000. Research is funded by NASA Marshall Space Flight Center to explore the benefits of hyperbaric oxygen and near-infrared light for counteracting the effects of weightlessness and radiation in space, as well as for patient treatment on Earth. Thermal burns, intracranial abscesses, and diving injuries like air or gas embolism and decompression sickness are also treated. Hyperbaric oxygen can help prevent permanent brain damage from carbon monoxide poisoning and smoke inhalation. The Hyperbaric Medicine Unit collaborates with the Medical College of Wisconsin Wound Care Center. Treatments are provided Monday through Friday and each treatment lasts about one and three-quarter hours. A physician order and referral are required for hyperbaric chamber treatment.