For wounds and other conditions that will not heal through traditional treatments, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) can help. This treatment involves breathing 100 percent oxygen at two to three times the normal air pressure in a pressurized enclosed chamber. It is an advanced, FDA-approved treatment option for several health conditions, including:
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Air or gas embolism
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Anemia in patients who cannot receive blood transfusion
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Thermal burns
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Carbon monoxide poisoning
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Decompression illness
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Diabetic foot ulcers and select other non-healing wounds
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Gas gangrene and necrotizing soft tissue infections
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Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (sudden or unexplained loss of hearing)
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Chronic refractory osteomyelitis (skin & bone infections)
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Compromised skin grafts or flaps
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Delayed radiation bone or soft tissue injuries
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Central retinal artery occlusion (vision loss)
We offer hyperbaric oxygen therapy in both Maryland and Washington, D.C. In fact, the MedStar Health Wound Healing Institute at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is the only wound care clinic in Washington, D.C. accredited by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society and has been accredited with distinction since 2020. This is a testament to our commitment to providing the highest standards for care quality and patient safety. Our dedicated team of technicians, nurses, and physicians have special training in HBOT, leading to a high healing success rate, exceptional patient care, and unparalleled attention to safety and quality.
What is hyperbaric oxygen therapy?
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a treatment in which patients breathe 100% oxygen while pressurized to a depth greater than sea level. The use of hyperbaric pressure as a treatment for medical conditions dates back to the 1600’s, before the discovery of oxygen. While many people are familiar with the use of this therapy for decompression illness (“the bends”) in scuba divers, this therapy is also used for other medical conditions, such as treating carbon monoxide poisoning and healing diabetic wounds.
How does it work?
The air we normally breathe is 21 percent oxygen and 78 percent nitrogen. Patients who receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy breathe 100 percent oxygen under pressure. Breathing pure oxygen effectively delivers an increased supply of oxygen to your body’s tissues. For patients with non-healing wounds, the extra oxygen can result in new blood vessel formation and faster wound healing.
In addition, this treatment can enhance antibiotic activity, reduce certain inflammatory processes in the body, and increase oxygen levels in tissues that have been deprived of oxygen. As a result, use of this therapy and other treatments may save a limb from needing amputation.
What is a hyperbaric chamber?
A hyperbaric oxygen chamber is a device used to administer hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Hyperbaric chambers are generally cylindrical in shape and are composed of steel and clear acrylic. We have four hyperbaric chambers in each of our two hyperbaric oxygen therapy locations in the Mid-Atlantic region. Each chamber is designed to accommodate one patient (monoplace hyperbaric chambers). Both adults and children can be easily treated in monoplace hyperbaric chambers.
Our hyperbaric chambers are 41 inches in diameter, allowing for greater patient comfort during the hyperbaric treatment process. The hyperbaric chambers have communication systems to allow patients to talk back and forth with the hyperbaric medicine staff, so patients are never alone during the treatment process.
What to expect during your session.
You may be referred for a hyperbaric medicine evaluation by your primary care physician or a specialist. For example, patients with complicated wounds may be candidates for hyperbaric oxygen treatment, but only after trying other treatments first.
During your first visit with a hyperbaric medicine specialist, your doctor will evaluate you and develop an individualized treatment plan based on your condition. During this visit, your doctor will also review all of the benefits and risks of the treatment and answer any questions you may have. The treatment depth and number of treatments is individualized for each patient and based on the patient’s diagnosis and underlying medical conditions. Each hyperbaric treatment is approximately two hours in duration. For patients with decompression illness, longer treatments may be required.
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What should I wear and bring into the hyperbaric chamber?
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How many hyperbaric treatments will I need?
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Does insurance cover the use of this therapy?
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Is this therapy dangerous?
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What are the possible side effects of this treatment?
Our providers
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Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine
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Kelly Johnson-Arbor, MD
Medical Toxicology & Undersea And Hyperbaric Medicine
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Patricia A Muller, MPAS, PA-C
Wound Care & Undersea And Hyperbaric Medicine
Show All Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine
Our locations
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MedStar Health: Wound Care at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital
3800 Reservoir Rd. NW
BLES Bldg.
1st Floor
Washington, D.C., 20007
MedStar Health: Wound Care at MedStar Good Samaritan Hospital
5601 Loch Raven Blvd.
Suite 2 North
Baltimore, MD 21239
Patient stories
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"How HBOT saved a middle school teacher's foot"
Middle school teacher Mary-Sarah Proctor faced the risk of amputation when a diabetic foot ulcer developed an infection that would not heal. But thanks to hyperbaric oxygen therapy and compassionate care from her team of nurses and doctors, Mary-Sarah returned to her classroom fully healed. Watch her story below.
Contact us
To learn more or schedule an appointment, call 888-83-WOUND.