NAMI Hyperbaric Medicine - Department 53HY

 

Hyperbaric Medicine Mission

Our mission is to provide operational medical support and consultative services for all DoD personnel worldwide. This is accomplished through provision of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for indicated dysbaric diseases, including diving and altitude-related disorders and Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) approved clinical indications for all DoD medical beneficiaries. We provide medical expertise and clinical evaluations for special duty involving Diving Duty, Naval Special Warfare, Submarine Duty, Nuclear Field Duty and Ionizing Radiation work, in addition to serving as direct medical support for local military and DoD civilian divers, including operational units within our area of responsibility.
 

Definition of Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO₂)

Treatment includes breathing near 100% medical grade oxygen within a pressurized chamber of equal to or greater than 1.4 atmosphere absolute (ATA).  Note: Other hyperbaric treatments that do not breath near 100% medical grade oxygen or pressured to less than 1.4 ATA can be misleading and are not defined as hyperbaric medical treatments (Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society ([UHMS], 2019).
 

History of Hyperbaric Medicine

 
Publications of HBO₂ treatments began to surface in the 1930’s with university and naval institutes utilizing pressurized oxygen therapy to safely decompress divers, treat Decompression Sickness and arterial gas embolisms.  Hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatments were then incorporated into United States Navy Diver “treatment tables” during the 1960’s that included results from extensive research on compressed gas, oxygen toxicity, safety procedures, and medical and physiological aspects.  In 1976, the Executive Committee of UHMS established the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Committee after recognizing the need to scrutinize emerging clinical applications of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.  The Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Committee is comprised of a multitude of subspecialties (internal medicine, infectious disease, pharmacology, emergency medicine, general surgery, orthopedic surgery, critical care, etc.) that maintains responsibility to review research, clinical data and recommendations for treatment as applied toward clinical efficacy and safety (UHMS, 2019).

 

Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society Indications for Treatment

 
Scientifically supported hyperbaric oxygen (HBO₂) therapy is a standard of care for many medical conditions including (UHMS, 2019):
 

1. Hyperbaric Treatment of Air or Gas Embolism
2. Arterial Insufficiencies
   1. Central Retinal Artery Occlusion and
   2. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Selected Problem Wounds
3. Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
4. Clostridial Myonecrosis (Gas Gangrene)
5. The Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen on Compromised Grafts and Flaps
6. The Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen for Acute Traumatic Ischemia
7. Decompression Sickness
8. Delayed Radiation Injuries (Soft Tissue or Bony Necrosis)
9. Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss
10. Intracranial Abscess
11. Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections
12. Refractory Osteomyelitis
13. Severe Anemia
14. Adjunctive Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in the Treatment of Thermal Burns

 

Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) Accreditation

“UHMS is committed to providing, promoting, developing and raising the quality of care across the spectrum in scientific communication, life sciences and clinical practices of hyperbaric medicine by promoting high standards of patient care and operational safety. The UHMS HFA program is the only hyperbaric specific accreditation to be recognized by The Joint Commission as a Complementary Accrediting organization under the TJC’s Cooperative Agreement Initiative” (Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society [UHMS] (n.d.).
 
By achieving UHMS Accreditation, our facility has met the highest standards of patient care and safety through evaluation of the adequacy of the facility, equipment, staff and training to ensure that the utmost quality is maintained within Hyperbaric Medicine.

 Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) Homepage

Related articles

NAMI Recompression Chamber Supports Area Training Missions, Operations (July 2022)
NAMI Recompression Chamber Recertifies, Ready for Patients (December 2020)
NAMI Hyperbaric Medicine Receives Prestigious Accreditation (March 2017)
 

Point of Contact Information (non-emergency)

NAMI Hyperbaric Medicine can be reached at 850-452-2369
Department hours are Mon-Fri from 07:30AM to 4:00PM CST
Email: usn.pensacola.navmedotcnamifl.list.nami-hyberbarics-department@health.mil
 

References:

Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (2019). Hyperbaric oxygen therapy indications (14^th ed.). Best Publishing.
Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (n.d.) Undersea & hyperbaric medical society. https://www.uhms.org