According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), 463 million people worldwide have diabetes in 2020, with 88 million in South Asia, 77 million of whom are Indian.
Approximately 25% develop Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFU), of which 50% become infected and require hospitalisation, and 20% require amputation. Adding hyperbaric oxygen therapy to standard of care reduces the risk of major amputation by approximately 20-30% and increases the rate of wound healing by 9 – 10 times. The benefits of hyperbaric oxygen extend beyond the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers to a wide range of diseases and conditions.
HBOT (Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy)
HBOT, or hyperbaric oxygen therapy, is the practise of breathing oxygen at pressures greater than atmospheric pressure. It is administered in specially designed chambers that create an ambient pressure 2-3 times higher than that found at sea level to aid in the absorption of oxygen into the blood. According to Henry’s law, the amount of gas dissolved in liquid increases as pressure increases. Inhaling oxygen in a pressurised chamber will now increase the amount of oxygen dissolved in blood plasma in addition to the oxygen bound to haemoglobin. This significant increase in plasma oxygen concentration increases oxygen delivery to tissues by 10 to 15 times that of normal breathing, and as a result, this increased oxygen into the system provides numerous benefits.
According to research, Dr. Mandeep Singh Malhotra, Surgical Oncologist (Clinical Lead & Mentor – Art of Healing Cancer- AOHC), in a single hour of HBOT treatment, the body takes in approximately 2.4 pounds of oxygen into the tissue, and this increased oxygen benefits by
Increase the delivery of oxygen to tissues with low blood flow, such as diabetic foot ulcers, stroke, trauma, flaps, necrotic tissue in cancer, and so on. Reduces swelling and inflammation by deactivating toxins; improves the body’s immune cells’ ability to fight infections. Stimulates the formation of new blood vessels and capillaries, which aid in wound healing and the removal of toxins and waste products. Increases active nerve cell firing, which aids in neural recovery.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy has documented benefits in many diseases like:
Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Wound Healing
Severe Anaemia
Delayed Radiation Injury or Radiation Necrosis
Traumatic Brain Injury
Gangrene
Compromised Grafts & Flaps
Vision loss or sudden hearing loss
Brain Abscess
There are certain other conditions in which HBOT is likely to benefit:
Brain Stroke
Brain Related Disorders like Alzheimer, Paralysis, Parkinson’s, Brain Fog, etc
Refractory Cancers which do not respond to chemotherapy
“We are pleased to share that, through the initiative of HBOT India, the first 3 ATA Medical Grade Hyperbaric Oxygen Machine is installed in Gurgaon, Delhi-NCR, in collaboration with HCAH (Health Care at Home), Guru Harikrishn Foundation (A Non-Profit Charitable Institution) & Art of Healing Cancer (an Advanced Stage Cancer Institution),” says Arpan Talwar, Co-Founder HBOT India.
“As Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is supportive in various medical conditions and is the first of its kind in the city, we believe that this infrastructure can help patients not just reaching out directly to HBOT India but also to patients of various hospitals in the vicinity in the city. We plan to become a Nodal Centre of hyperbaric in Delhi-NCR,” says Manjit Singh, Founding Director at Guru Harikrishn Foundation.
