New Hyperbaric Chamber at HCMC

[smurfette100]

Hopefully none of us need it, but HCMC just installed their new hyperbaric chamber today. The old one was 48 years old!

[DetectorGuy]

It would be sweet if HCMC sold or donated the old one to a hospital near Duluth. It would be a shame to scrap it out, but I would guess it would scrap out at $100,000 or so.

[eelpout]

Fink Engineering Multiplace Chamber built in Warana, Queensland, Australia. They don't get too many divers but it will be used for medical indications such as:
1.    Air or Gas Embolism
2.    Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
      Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Complicated By Cyanide Poisoning
3.    Clostridial Myositis and Myonecrosis (Gas Gangrene)
4.    Crush Injury, Compartment Syndrome and Other Acute Traumatic Ischemias
5.    Decompression Sickness
6.    Arterial Insufficiencies:
            Central Retinal Artery Occlusion
            Enhancement of Healing In Selected Problem Wounds
7.    Severe Anemia
8.    Intracranial Abscess
9.    Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections
10.  Osteomyelitis (Refractory)
11.  Delayed Radiation Injury (Soft Tissue and Bony Necrosis)
12.  Compromised Grafts and Flaps
13.  Acute Thermal Burn Injury
14.  Idiopathic Sudden Sensorineural  Hearing Loss

It is a state of the art Mutliplace Chamber and I have been operating one since April 2008. The potential patients in the Twin City Metropolitan area will be blessed with better machine that the old system.

Jim campos

[Deep Thought]

As long as they still honor my frequent flyers card, one more ride and I get a free trip.....

[arcFlash]

How is it better then the last one?

[eelpout]

The original hyperbaric chamber was built in the 50's. The newer one will be quieter, occuply less space and be more attendant/patient friendly. Most of the patients we treat are over 60 and usually have a hard time moving at the begginig of their treatments. If you really want to see the difference, ask to tour the old one and when the new one gets on line, tour that one.

[arcFlash]

That is enough information. I was mostly interested to know if it works any different. People, pressure and oxygen are the same as the 50's so I was just curious if it was technically better or just old and needed replacement.