A hyperbaric chamber has air pressure that is higher than normal air pressure. This is used to provide oxygen therapy to people by saturating their bodies or body parts in 100 percent oxygen. A hyperbaric chamber is an effective way to treat hard-to-heal or severely infected wounds and a large number of other medical conditions. There are different styles of hyperbaric chambers, and they differ in functionality and effectiveness.
Mono-Place Chamber
According to the BaroMedical Research Centre, the mono-place chamber is the simplest and most comfortable and effective chamber to use. This chamber is designed for single treatment of an individual. With this type of chamber, the entire body can be immersed, which allows 100 percent oxygen therapy to be provided. The chamber's air pressure is 2 1/2 to 3 times higher than normal air pressure. The patient inhales pure oxygen from a hood or mask placed on his head, and oxygen penetrates the body through the skin, which helps to wash out the nitrogen from the body and saturate the organs with concentrated oxygen.
Multi-Place Chamber
The air-compressed multi-place chamber offers oxygen therapy to treat anywhere from 6 to 12 individuals at one time and is considered less effective than the mono-place chamber. Again, for this treatment, bags or masks are placed over each individual’s head, which allows them to breathe in the enhanced mixture of oxygen. In addition, each person has an air pressure within the chamber that is 2 ½ to 3 times higher than normal air pressure. The multi-place chamber can be more cost-effective for medical centers to use because of the increased patient numbers. However, since this treatment is shared, it is not feasible to adjust the treatment to benefit one particular individual.
Topical Chamber
The topical chamber is commonly used for a person who has a hard-to-heal or infected wound that is not responding to normal treatments. This type of hyperbaric chamber is disposable and comes in a box of four units, which are a week's supply. The chamber looks like a bag and can be adjusted around an area of the body such as a leg or an arm. According to the Wound Care Institute, the advantage of the topical chamber is that it can be used at home for treatment of stubborn wounds. This allows the patient to remain in the comfort of her own home while receiving the treatment.
