HBOT - Short History

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a medical treatment that can be traced back to the 1600’s. In 1662, the first renowned chamber was built and operated by a British clergyman named Henshaw. He erected a structure titled, the Domicilium, that was used to treat a variety of conditions.

In 1878, Paul Bert, a French physiologist, discovered the link between decompression sickness and nitrogen bubbles. Bert later identified that the pain could be ameliorated with recompression. The concept of treating patients under pressurized conditions was continued by the French surgeon Fontaine, who later built a pressurized mobile operating room in 1879. Fontaine found that inhaled nitrous oxide had a greater potency under pressure, in addition to his patients having improved oxygenation.

In the early 1900’s Dr. Orville Cunningham, a professor of anesthesia, observed that people with particular heart diseases improved better when they lived closer to sea level than those living at higher altitudes. He treated a colleague who was suffering from influenza and was near death due to lung restriction. His resounding success led him to develop what was known as the “Steel Ball Hospital” located along the shore of Lake Erie. The six story structure was erected in 1928 and was 64 feet in diameter. The hospital could reach 3 atmospheres absolute. Unfortunately, due to the depressed financial status of the economy, it was deconstructed during in 1942 for scrap.

Subsequently, hyperbaric chambers were later developed by the military in the 1940’s to treat deep-sea divers who suffered from decompression sickness. In the 1950’s, physicians first employed HBOT during heart and lung surgery, which led to its use for carbon monoxide poisoning in the 1960’s. Since then, over 10,000 clinical trials and case studies have been completed for numerous other health-related applications with the vast majority of results reporting resounding success.

1662- The first documented use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy was in by a British physician to treat pulmonary disease and help with digestion.

1834- The first hyperbaric oxygen chamber was built in France. People came from all over the world to try this new therapy.

1860- The first hyperbaric chamber was built in North America.

1877- The first portable hyperbaric chamber was developed. By this time, most major European cities had hyperbaric oxygen chambers.

1879- French doctors began performing surgeries in hyperbaric chambers.

1891- Doctors in the U.S. began using hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat nervous disorders.

1895- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was found to be effective in treating carbon monoxide poisoning.

1928- The world’s largest hyperbaric chamber was built for $1 million in Cleveland, Ohio by Dr. Cunningham. It was a 5 story high steel ball that contained 60 rooms. This hyperbaric chamber used pressurized air to treat a variety of health problems. Harvard Medical School built a hyperbaric chamber for medical research in the same year.

1934- A U.S. Naval officer found hyperbaric oxygen therapy to be effective in treating decompression sickness.

1938- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was found to be effective in treating leprosy.

1961- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was found to be effective in treating gas gangrene.

1963- The first International Congress on Hyperbaric Medicine convened in Amsterdam.

1966- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was found to be effective in treating stroke patients.

1970- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was found to be effective in treating multiple sclerosis.

1973- Hyperbaric oxygen therapy was found to reduce mortality from heart attacks.

1988- The International Society of Hyperbaric Medicine was founded.

1990- Dr. Igor Gamow patented the Gamow bag, a portable hyperbaric chamber used by mountain climbers to treat altitude sickness, as well as for sports conditioning by athletes.
2000- Hyperbaric medicine was approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties as a sub-speciality of emergency and preventative medicine.Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy HBOT Chamber india, HBOT Chamber india, HBOT India, India HBOT chamber, india hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber, india hyperbaric oxygen therapy indications, india hyperbaric oxygen therapy information, Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy HBOT Chamber india, HBOT Chamber india, HBOT India, India HBOT chamber, india hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber, india hyperbaric oxygen therapy indications, india hyperbaric oxygen therapy information,