Photo By Senior Airman Jonathon Carnell | Staff Sgt. Kylynn Bevis, 60th Aerospace Medical Squadron services technician updated...... read more read more
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Approximately 20 patients go to David Grant USAF Medical Center, Travis Air Force Base, California, where they have admitted themselves into a cutting edge hyperbaric oxygen treatment.
The hyperbaric oxygen treatment chamber at DGMC uses a state-of-theart technology to aid patients who are in need of therapy for a multitude of diagnosed illnesses.
One component of the hyperbaric chamber is “taking a dive,” the practice of outfitting patients with plastic hoods and pressurizing the air inside of them, for approximately 90 minutes. These plastic domes increase the level of oxygen to the recipient as each breath is taken and the ambient pressure is increased to below sea level pressure.
“We see our patients on a daily basis most of the time and to know that I have an impact not only on their day, but in their healing process, really means a lot to me,” said Staff Sgt. Kylynn Bevis, 60th Aerospace Medical Squadron aerospace medicine technician. “I believe I’ve built harmonious relationships with my patients. They often visit after they’ve ‘graduated’ from treatments and it’s definitely nice to see their faces filled with happiness when they walk through our doors.”
The staff members at the hyperbaric clinic not only make the staff feel like an adoptive family, but they sincerely care about any sensitivities a patient may have, said Master Sgt. Aileen L. Griffith, 60th Air Mobility Wing superintendent of administration and hyperbaric patient.
“I love walking in the doors to the hyperbaric clinic and getting the friendly smile from SSgt. Bevis, followed by the catch-up questions of how I am doing and what is new,” said Griffith. “I feel that not only does Bevis showcase the clinics high standard of healing their patients, she takes it to a personal level and offers sincere care.”
There are multiple reasons why an individual comes for treatment at the hyperbaric clinic. One of which is that it gives patients an ample timeframe for their stay to ensure they are in good health upon leaving.
“There are 14 diagnoses that are recommended for treatment with hyperbaric oxygen in the United States by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society,” said Dr. Ben Slade, 60th Aerospace Medical Squadron hyperbaric medicine physician. “These conditions include air embolism, arterial insufficiencies and carbon monoxide poisoning.”
“We most commonly treat problem wounds and radiation tissue injury,” said Slade. “There are numerous other conditions that may benefit from hyperbaric oxygen, and many other conditions are treated in other countries.”
A typical session in the hyperbaric chamber lasts roughly two hours. During this time, the cylinder-shaped plastic hoods increase the pressure equivalent to 33 feet below sea level. This pressure would feel similar to a scuba diver going in the depths of the ocean.
“The high levels of oxygen induce a controlled, oxidative stress that stimulates very potent mechanisms that we have to protect ourselves against oxygen toxicity,” said Slade. “Those mechanisms happen to be intermediaries for healing and for controlling infection and include enhanced white blood cell killing of bacteria, stimulation wound healing, induction of growth factors and growth factor receptors on cells, release of stem cells from the bone marrow and modulation of the immune system responses.”
“I had a previous injury which required a skin graft,” said Griffith. “The skin graft did not take, so my surgeon recommended the hyperbaric treatment for my next step of the healing process. After just two weeks, my wound has healed roughly 75 percent.”
Having hyperbaric treatment is very open-ended. This treatment could help many people who do not know about it, said Slade.
“There are currently over 200 hyperbaric chamber facilities that are accredited by the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society Accreditation Program,” said Slade.
Travis’ hyperbaric team is constantly furthering research into the aerospace medical mission. Having a spectacular team such as this demonstrates the ability of how hyperbaric treatments heal patients.
“It’s as simple as a computer consult over to our clinic and, normally, we book a new patient within 24 hours of receiving a notification,” said Bevis.
“For those who do not know about hyperbaric treatment, ask your primary physician and ask questions about hyperbaric therapy.”
For questions, contact DGMC at 707-423-7300.
| Date Taken: | 02.23.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 12.13.2018 15:42 |
| Story ID: | 303479 |
| Location: | TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 566 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Hyperbaric treatment takes a dive, by SrA Jonathon Carnell, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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