HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE HYPERBARIC OXYGENATION

Abstract

Background: Hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) is a treatment in which a patient breathes near 100% oxygen within a chamber at a pressure greater than one atmosphere absolute (ATA). The development of hyperbaric medicine is continuous and associated with the history of underwater activities, the development of physical laws and physiological mechanisms of breathing. Purpose: The aim of this article is to present the development of hyperbaric oxygenation internationally and nationally. Materials and Methods: We have conducted a literature review of the published works on hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) during the last 100 years. Our survey includes scientific reports and books in English and Bulgarian. Results: Three main periods of the historical development of HBOT can be defined. In the past, HBO did not have much scientific support but is extensively used in the field of medicine. We observed an increase in scientific interest in HBO during the last two decades both in our country and worldwide. The majority of the reviewed articles contained information about different aspects of HBO as clinical uses, effects, risks. HBOT has been used as a primary and adjuvant treatment for a variety of diseases for nearly 50 years in Bulgaria. The main areas of application and researches of hyperbaric oxygen therapy include diving diseases, intoxications, traumatic injuries, soft tissue infections, diabetic foot, hearing loss, some neurological disorders, etc. Conclusion: Over the past decades, hyperbaric oxygen therapy has grown rapidly worldwide in accordance with evidence-based medicine methods, and future developments to expand the knowledge are perspective.