Side Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.

Like all medical treatments, hyperbaric oxygen (HBO₂) has known potential side effects. HBO₂ is provided in different clinical settings by providers and staff with differing levels of expertise. It is important to understand the potential side effects of HBO₂ in order to allow for consideration of risk and benefit in discussion with the patient who is considering HBO₂. In this chapter, we will describe and quantify these side effects. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is the treatment of patients with 100% oxygen at higher than atmospheric pressure provided in either a monoplace chamber (single person) typically compressed with oxygen or a multiplace chamber (multiple persons) compressed with air while oxygen is delivered by a hood or mask. The benefits of treatment are the result of both primary and secondary effects. Primary effects are from increased pressure and hyperoxia, while various secondary effects are the result of controlled oxidative stress mediated by reactive oxygen and nitrogen species [1-3]. These very same primary and secondary beneficial effects can lead to side effects associated with HBO₂ including different forms of barotrauma and oxygen toxicity.