Chennai :

Open wounds and sores are often a diabetic’s Achilles’ heel as they take a long time to heal and often lead to complications.

A city hospital seems to have found a way to circumvent this by placing patients in a specialised chamber that pumps oxygen under increased atmospheric pressure. The pure oxygen, doctors say, will catalyse the process of healing areas where blood supply is limited.

The Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) was launched at M V Hospital for Diabetes  in Royapuram on Friday.

“Certain diabetic wounds take long to heal when oxygen supply to the wound is poor and blood supply is limited. By making patients breathe 100% oxygen, the chamber stimulates growth of new blood vessels and blood flow to the wound improves. The blood carries large amounts of oxygen to organs, tissues and wounds. This heals wounds easily,” said Dr Vijay Viswanathan, chief diabetologist, M V hospital for diabetes.

Patients with non-healing wounds like acute thermal burns, traumatic brain injury, radiation damage to tissues, crush injury and sudden hearing loss will benefit, said the doctor. It can also be used to treat various forms of gangrene and carbon monoxide poisoning.

The treatment, dating to the 1660s, was popular across Europe in the 19th century but saw a downslide after medicine became more evidence-based. In the late 20th century, it gained popularity and was used to treat divers and tunnel workers.

“Its use declined due to high cost. In the last decade or two, there has been a renewed interest in this procedure. In India, it was primarily used by the Navy for divers, but hospitals are now using it for other issues,” said Dr Viswanathan.

Patients will require a one-hour session for 14 days. “We have a controlled mechanism which regulates the oxygen supplied according to medical protocol,” said Dr Viswanathan.

Patients will experience a feeling akin to what one feels when a flight takes off. Each session will cost 1,500, while one government hospital patient a day will be treated for free.

Doctors say hyperbaric oxygen can help stimulate cell growth and regeneration. “It can also act as an anti-viral and anti-bacterial agent as most of them can’t tolerate oxygen. It can displace toxins and other impurities to assist detoxification of the system,” said Dr M Rajkumar, professor at the vascular department, Madras Medical College.

Others say the machine should be handled carefully as an oxygen overdose can be fatal. “Care should be taken to ensure it is done in a controlled condition or it could lead to complications like seizures,” said Dr George M Varghese of CMC, Vellore. He said it does not “heal” wounds but “catalyses the healing.”

“It is expensive and is beneficial to only 5% of patients with these conditions and few can afford it,” he said.

source: http://www.articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Chennai / TNN / May 25th, 2013