Advance technology oxygen chambers helps treat patients

The state of the art technology oxygen chambers is helping local patients in Yuma County get treated, like those with diabetes and those who have non-healing wounds.

These chambers are being used at the Yuma Regional Medical Center and right now, they are treating 15 to 20 patients.

“It takes two hours for every patient and while they’re in the chamber they are breathing 100% pressurized oxygen. Normally every patient goes in two atmospheres in depth which is equivalent to 33- feet underground,” said Laura Leon, Safety Director at the Yuma Regional Medical Center.

Laura says that because this medical treatment is very advanced, the hospital has to take extra precaution before treating a patient. She also added that there is two main diagnosis that they have to oversee before moving forward.

“The main diagnosis that we treat patients here are diabetic for archer’s also chronic osteomyelitis which is the infection to the bone,” said Leon.

The director says that one of the side-effects of the Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber is a temporary vision loss that is caused by too much oxygen, but that it is very rare.