Chambers are 'pure science'

March 01--LIMA -- It's like magic, but it's not.

Dr. Darlington Dick wants to make that clear.

"It's pure science," he said. "Which is even better."

The safety director for St. Rita Medical Center'sHyperbaric and Wound Clinic is talking about the center's hyperbaric chambers, of which they have three.

This, he said, is where patients are sent when nothing else -- not even antibiotics -- is working.

The chambers, which look like large and high-tech glass tanning beds, can hold one person each. During treatment, a specific amount of pure oxygen is fed into the chamber. The pressure, length and frequency of treatment, however, is determined based on the medical issue, be it carbon monoxide poisoning, an infected wound, cancer or diabetic wounds.

This time of year, Dick said the clinic sees a lot of cases with carbon poisoning. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, carbon monoxide poisoning peaks during the winter months, specifically December and January.

It's common for a variety of reasons, Darlington said. For example, someone might be sitting in their car in a closed garage while waiting for it to heat up.

In which case, the patient's blood gas would be measured once at the hospital, and if 20 or higher, would be taken straight to the chamber. Healthy blood gas levels are typically around 5 or 10, the director said. A smoker's level would be around 10 or 15.

Based on the severity of exposure, patients lay in the chamber allowing their lungs to take in the oxygen, absorbed by plasma and transported to the rest of the body. There's an attendant watching over the patient at all times, watching out for complications like seizures, if someone takes in too much oxygen.

But in his eight years as director, the clinic has never had an incident. In fact, after last year's Joint Commission inspection, the department was given a gold star, an example of how all clinics should operate.

"St. Rita's is one of the best," he said.

Reach Lindsay Friedman at 567-242-0362 or on Twitter @LFriedman_Lima.

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