Important note
This article is informational. The indication of HBOT for any patient is a clinical decision by the treating physician based on history, evaluation and center protocol. It is not medical advice and does not replace professional evaluation.
Internationally recognized applications
Various international scientific societies (UHMS and counterparts) recognize a set of HBOT indications supported by clinical literature. The most common include:
- Chronic non-healing wounds
- Diabetic foot ulcers at defined stages
- Osteoradionecrosis and soft tissue radionecrosis
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Necrotizing soft tissue infections
- Decompression sickness and gas embolism
- Compromised skin grafts and flaps
- Selected cases of sudden hearing loss
Indications under evaluation or adjuvant
There are areas under study where HBOT is used as an adjuvant under individual clinical judgment. The literature is evolving and protocols vary by center and country. Several bone, neurology and rehabilitation conditions fall in this group. It is the center's responsibility to keep its institutional protocol current.
What HBOT is not
HBOT is not a universal treatment and not alternative medicine. It does not replace standard medical treatments. Its value lies in applying it with appropriate clinical indication, under protocol, with follow-up. Serious centers establish clear inclusion and exclusion criteria.
For the center: how to structure the offering
A serious hyperbaric center defines: which indications it treats, which protocols it applies, what inclusion criteria it uses, how it documents outcomes and how it refers cases that do not meet criteria. This institutional clarity protects patient and center.