Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Treatment Overview
The purpose of oxygen therapy for the
treatment of
carbon monoxide poisoning is to reduce the amount of
carbon monoxide in the blood and restore the oxygen level to normal as quickly
as possible.
For hyperbaric oxygen therapy, the affected person
lies down on a stretcher that slides into an acrylic tube about
7 ft (2.1 m) long and
25 in. (64 cm) across. The
pressure inside the tube is raised, and 100% oxygen is delivered under high
pressure. Each treatment session lasts about 90 minutes. After treatment, the
chamber is depressurized slowly while the person rests inside.
What To Expect After Treatment
A person usually recovers from carbon
monoxide poisoning within a few days. But it is important to remember that
long-term effects may occur days or weeks after carbon monoxide
poisoning.
Why It Is Done
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be
used to quickly reduce both the carbon monoxide level in the blood and the
symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning. The use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy is
evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Things to consider include:
- The amount of carbon monoxide in the
blood.
- How bad the symptoms are, such as whether a person has lost
consciousness or appears confused.
- The distance to the nearest
hyperbaric chamber.
- A person's age, the presence of heart or brain
disease, and overall health. Infants, small children, older adults, or people
with health problems are more easily affected by high amounts of carbon
monoxide in the blood, and their symptoms usually are more
severe.
- Pregnancy and whether a pregnant woman has had a
significant exposure to carbon monoxide.
Treatments will likely be repeated, depending on how well
the first treatment works. Multiple treatments seem to provide the most benefit.3
How Well It Works
It is not clear if hyperbaric oxygen treatments work better than oxygen therapy at normal pressure to reduce the risk of
cognitive problems, such as lasting damage to memory, attention, and
concentration.2, 1
In pregnant women who
have been exposed to carbon monoxide, hyperbaric oxygen therapy reduces the
time needed to lower carbon monoxide levels in fetal blood, which increases
the chances for a healthy baby. The fetus has a higher risk for carbon monoxide
poisoning, because it takes longer for carbon monoxide to be eliminated from
fetal blood than from the mother's blood.4
Risks
Risks of hyperbaric oxygen therapy may include
ear pain, rupture of the eardrum, sinus discomfort, a bloody nose, and in very
rare cases, seizure or problems from too much oxygen.
What To Think About
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
chambers are located only at specialty medical centers or major
hospitals.
Hyperbaric oxygen chambers also are used to treat
people who have decompression sickness from scuba diving.
Complete the special treatment information form (PDF)(What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this treatment.
References
Citations
- Juurlink DN, et al. (2005). Hyperbaric oxygen for carbon monoxide poisoning. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (4). Oxford: Update Software.
- Weaver LK, et al. (2002). Hyperbaric oxygen for acute
carbon monoxide poisoning. New England Journal of Medicine, 347(14): 1057–1067.
- Van Meter KW (2004). Carbon monoxide poisoning. In JE
Tintinalli et al., eds., Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide, 6th ed., pp. 1238–1242. New York: McGraw-Hill.
- Kao LW, Nanagas KA (2005). Carbon monoxide poisoning.
Medical Clinics of North America, 89(6):
1161–1194.
Credits
| By |
Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer |
E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer |
R. Steven Tharratt, MD, MPVM, FACP, FCCP - Pulmonology, Critical Care Medicine, Medical Toxicology |
| Last Revised |
March 18, 2010 |
Last Revised:
March 18, 2010
Juurlink DN, et al. (2005). Hyperbaric oxygen for carbon monoxide poisoning. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (4). Oxford: Update Software.
Weaver LK, et al. (2002). Hyperbaric oxygen for acute
carbon monoxide poisoning. New England Journal of Medicine, 347(14): 1057–1067.
Van Meter KW (2004). Carbon monoxide poisoning. In JE
Tintinalli et al., eds., Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide, 6th ed., pp. 1238–1242. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Kao LW, Nanagas KA (2005). Carbon monoxide poisoning.
Medical Clinics of North America, 89(6):
1161–1194.
