Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for gender-affirming surgery

In hyperbaric medicine, patients get 100% oxygen at a high atmospheric pressure to treat a variety of medical ailments.

Benefits of hyperbaric medicine include better tissue regeneration, decreased inflammatory response, greater infection management, and increased oxygen supply to tissues.

Hyperbaric medicine is delivered by a chamber pressurized with air or pure oxygen. Patients within the chamber inhale oxygen using a mask or hood.

The duration of hyperbaric medicine normally ranges from 60 minutes to 2 hours.

While the use of hyperbaric medicine is usually regarded as safe, there are certain adverse effects that might occur, including transitory visual abnormalities, sinus pressure, and ear ache. These are often minor and transient.

Chronic wounds, radiation damage, carbon monoxide poisoning, decompression sickness, and certain infections are just a few of the medical conditions that may be treated using hyperbaric therapy.

Insurance coverage for hyperbaric medicine varies based on the particular insurance plan. To find out if they are covered, patients should contact their insurance company.

Patients may anticipate experiencing a feeling of fullness in their ears during a hyperbaric medicine session, similar to what happens during a flight. As the pressure varies, they could experience warmth or cold as well.

The ailment being treated and the patient's reaction to treatment determine how many hyperbaric medicine sessions are necessary. Patients may need a few sessions or as many as dozens spread out over a few weeks or months.

Ear ache, sinus pressure, and transient vision problems are all possible adverse effects of hyperbaric therapy. That said, these are often minor and transient.