Safety/Technical

We have a Sigma - 6 Class A chamber. We need to get some reupholstery done to some of our chairs. NFPA has a rather large section on what the requirements of the upholstery need to be. I am wondering where I can find a material that has already met the testing requirements of NFPA?

Posted 12/2/2025

Q:  

We have a Sigma - 6 Class A chamber. We need to get some reupholstery done to some of our chairs. NFPA has a rather large section on what the requirements of the upholstery need to be. I am wondering where I can find a material that has already met the testing requirements of NFPA?

A:

Thank you for your question. The UHMS HBO₂ Safety Committee can provide information to assist you in answering your question, but the ultimate responsibility for these types of questions rests with the Hyperbaric Medical Director or Physician-In-Charge (HMD/PIC) and Hyperbaric Safety Director/Coordinator (HSD/C) of your facility.

The members of the UHMS HBO₂ Safety Committee are not aware of an off-the-shelf fabric that is labeled “Safe for use in a Class A hyperbaric chamber”. Therefore, it is important to approach this in one of two ways:

One, contact the chamber manufacturer. It is advisable to consult the chamber manufacturer to confirm that any replacement fabric adheres to the same standards as the original. Manufacturers may also perform pressure testing and issue certification for chamber furniture. Upholstery used in these environments, often high-grade vinyl, is chosen for its flame-retardant properties and resistance to contamination and should be tested in accordance with NFPA guidelines.

If this option is not available, we would recommend reaching out to a manufacturer of hospital-grade fabrics and sharing the code requirements, and work with them to find a suitable product. We would suggest that the company provides either a letter or fabric tag indicating that the fabric meets the ascribed standard:

NFPA 99 (2024)

14.3.1.6.4.5 Upholstered Furniture.

1. Upholstered furniture (fixed or portable) shall be resistant to smoldering (or cigarette) ignition in accordance with one of the following:
   1. The components of the upholstered furniture shall meet the requirements for Class 1 when tested in accordance with NFPA 260.
   2. Mocked-up composites of the upholstered furniture shall have a char length not exceeding 1 ½ in. (38 mm) when tested in accordance with NFPA 261.
2. Upholstered furniture shall have limited rates of heat release when tested in accordance with ASTM E1537, Standard Test Method for Fire Testing of Upholstered Furniture, or with California Technical Bulletin 133, Flammability Test Procedure for Seating Furniture for Use in Public Occupancies, as follows:
   1. The peak rate of heat release for the single upholstered furniture item shall not exceed 80 kW.
   2. The total heat released by the single upholstered furniture item during the first 10 minutes of the test shall not exceed 25 MJ.

(If fill materials will be altered):

14.3.1.6.4.7 Fill materials contained within upholstered furniture and mattresses shall comply with the open flame test in Section A-1 of the 2000 edition of California Technical Bulletin 117, Requirements, Test Procedure and Apparatus for Testing the Flame Retardance of Resilient Filling Materials Used in Upholstered Furniture.

14.3.1.6.4.8 For materials with fire-retardant coatings, the material shall be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions to retain the fire-retardant properties.

14.3.1.6.4.9 Exposed foamed plastic materials shall be prohibited.

Finally, you should know that if replacement of the underlying padding is needed, it will be more difficult to ensure that this material meets the code requirements. We would encourage you to read in detail the testing done (under what environmental conditions, heat source's temperature and time applied, oxygen percentage, industry focus of testing, etc.) as not all material testing is equal.

Respectfully,

UHMS HBO₂ Safety Committee

REFERENCE/S:

1. National Fire Protection Association. NFPA 99: Health Care Facilities Code. 2024 ed. Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association; 2024. Accessed November 8, 2025. https://www.nfpa.org/for-professionals/codes-and-standards/list-of-codes-and-standards/free-access
2. National Fire Protection Association. NFPA 260: Standard Methods of Tests and Classification System for Cigarette Ignition Resistance of Components of Upholstered Furniture. 2024 ed. Quincy, MA: National Fire Protection Association; 2024. Accessed November 8, 2025. https://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/nfpa-260-standard-development/260
3. ASTM International. ASTM E1537-22: Standard Test Method for Fire Testing of Upholstered Furniture. West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International; 2022. Accessed November 8, 2025. https://www.astm.org/e1537-22.html
4. California Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Home Furnishings and Thermal Insulation. Technical Bulletin 117: Requirements, Test Procedure and Apparatus for Testing the Flame Retardance of Resilient Filling Materials Used in Upholstered Furniture. Section A-1. Sacramento, CA: State of California; 2000. Accessed November 8, 2025. https://www.cps.bureauveritas.com/newsroom/california-technical-bulletin-117-2013-adopted-federal-flammability-standard-upholstered
   
   

 DISCLAIMER

Neither the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) staff nor its members can provide medical diagnosis or recommend equipment over the internet.  If you have medical concerns about hyperbaric medicine you need to be evaluated by a doctor licensed to practice medicine in your locale, which can provide you professional recommendations for hyperbaric medicine based upon your condition. The responsibility of approving the use of equipment resides with the physician and hyperbaric safety director/coordinator of the facility.  Information provided on this forum is for general educational purposes only.  It is not intended to replace the advice of your own health care practitioner and you should not rely upon it as though it were specific medical advice given to you personally.

Good morning. I work in a wound center with a multi-place chamber. Our linen company has just changed and they use RFID tags to track their linen. I cannot find any documentation on line regarding safety in our chamber for these tags, and the only documentation received from the linen company was regarding use in an MRI. Can anyone speak to this? Thanks so much, Laina

Q:
Good morning. I work in a wound center with a multi-place chamber. Our linen company has just changed and they use RFID tags to track their linen. I cannot find any documentation on line regarding safety in our chamber for these tags, and the only documentation received from the linen company was regarding use in an MRI. Can anyone speak to this? Thanks so much, Laina

A:
Thank you for your question. The UHMS HBO2 Safety Committee can provide information to assist you in answering your question, but the ultimate responsibility for these types of questions rests with the Medical Director and Safety Director of your facility.

Based upon our knowledge of these tags, the UHMS HBO2 Safety Committee finds no reason why PASSIVE RFID tags or chips could not be allowed in monoplace chambers. We caution you against the use of ACTIVE RFID tags in the Monoplace chamber.

More Information on RFID and RFID tags (source):

Radio-frequency identification (RFID) uses electromagnetic fields to automatically identify and track tags attached to objects. An RFID system consists of a tiny radio transponder; a radio receiver and transmitter. When triggered by an electromagnetic interrogation pulse from a nearby RFID reader device, the tag transmits digital data, usually an identifying inventory number, back to the reader. This number can be used to track inventory goods.

There are two types of RFID tags:

• Passive tags are powered by energy from the RFID reader's interrogating radio waves.
• Active tags are powered by a battery and thus can be read at a greater range from the RFID reader; up to hundreds of meters

References:

Ajami, S., & Rajabzadeh, A. (2013). Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and patient safety. Journal of research in medical sciences: the official journal of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, 18(9), 809.

Respectfully,

The UHMS HBO2 Safety Committee

DISCLAIMER
Neither the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) staff nor its members are able to provide medical diagnosis or recommend equipment over the internet. If you have medical concerns about hyperbaric medicine you need to be evaluated by a doctor licensed to practice medicine in your locale, which can provide you professional recommendations for hyperbaric medicine based upon your condition. The responsibility of approving the use of equipment resides with the physician and safety director of the facility. Information provided on this forum is for general educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace the advice of your own health care practitioner and you should not rely upon it as though it were specific medical advice given to you personally. 

Hello, Im trying to get clarification on what kind of topical medicine are allowed in chamber and which are not due to flammability risks. I have been searching for medicine on this website to see is if the ingredients are flammable or not. httpswww.fishersci.comstoremsds?partNumberAC466820050productDescriptionCLOBETASOLPROPIONATE5GRvendorIdVN00032119countryCodeUSlanguageen On page 4 under section 10 Stability and Reactivity it states Incompatible materials STRONG OXIDIZING AGENTS, am i correct

Posted: 11/12/25

Q: Hello, Im trying to get clarification on what kind of topical medicine like Clobetasol Propionate are allowed in chamber and which are not due to flammability risks. I have been searching for medicine on this website to see if the ingredients are flammable or not.

A: 

Thank you for your question. The UHMS HBO₂ Safety Committee can provide information to assist you in answering your question, but the ultimate responsibility for these types of questions rests with the Hyperbaric Medical Director or Physician-In-Charge (HMD/PIC) and Hyperbaric Safety Director/Coordinator (HSD/C) of your facility. Based upon what we know about your facility, we will assume that your question pertains to monoplace chambers with 100% oxygen.

Clobetasol Propionate is a topical corticosteroid cream or gel used to treat various skin conditions by reducing the inflammation, redness, and itching associated with eczema, psoriasis, and lichen sclerosus. Each gram of this product contains 0.5 mg of clobetasol propionate. The cream base is composed of cetyl alcohol, chlorocresol, citric acid, glyceryl monostearate, glyceryl stearate/polyethylene glycol 100 stearate, propylene glycol, purified water, sodium citrate, stearyl alcohol, and white wax (petroleum). This formulation is designed to provide anti-inflammatory, antipruritic, and vasoconstrictive properties, helping to relieve symptoms associated with various skin conditions.

As this product contains petrolatum and small amounts of alcohol, there is good reason for your question. Even though these quantities are small, it is important to use caution. NFPA 99, chapter 14, provides guidance for the HMD and HSD/C to assess and decide upon products such as these:

NPFA 99 (2024) “14.3.1.6.2.3 -  Flammable liquids, gases or vapors shall not be permitted inside any Class B chamber.”

Conversely, NFPA 99, Chapter 14 also allows the HMD and HSD/C to assess the safety and necessity of a product that is prohibited by the chapter. The Annex material found in A.14.3.1.6.4.3 is an extremely helpful portion of the code that should be utilized as a guide to assist you in this decision-making. This annex material can be accessed for free on the NFPA website: https://www.nfpa.org/for-professionals/codes-and-standards/list-of-codes-and-standards/free-access

NPFA 99 (2024) “14.3.1.6.4.3 – The hyperbaric physician in charge, with the concurrence of the hyperbaric safety coordinator, shall be permitted to use materials that are prohibited or not specifically prohibited by this chapter.”

Here are a few comments by committee members related to this product:

• If the product can be easily removed prior to therapy and reapplied afterward, this presents a practical and low-risk approach.
• Some members of the safety committee see that the risk is low with this product. Especially if the site is dry and no vapors are present.
• If necessary and approved by the HMD and HSD/C, use caution that the amount of ointment is controlled and is covered so that it does not come into contact with the chamber or equipment within the chamber.
• If necessary and approved by the HMD and HSD/C, keep the site covered and the amount to a minimum. Clear away any excess. Keep ignition sources away.
• If necessary and approved by the HMD and HSD/C, a risk assessment should be completed, documented and stored by the HSD/C. The hyperbaric team should be notified of the exception.
• The flash point is listed as >150 °C, so there is reason to consider allowing this product, especially since steroid creams are intended to be applied thinly.

We hope this information helps guide a well-informed decision about this product—one that aligns with the direction and approval of your hyperbaric facility’s Safety and Medical leadership. If you need further clarification or support, please don’t hesitate to contact the UHMS HBO2 Safety Committee. The references and bibliography below may also serve to assist you.

Respectfully,

UHMS HBO₂ Safety Committee

REFERENCE/S:

1. National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). (2024). “NFPA 99 2024 Edition: Health Care Facilities Code, “Chapter 14 – Hyperbaric Facilities”. Quincy, Massachusetts.
2. ThermoFisher Scientific, “Safety Data Sheet – Petrolatum, white,” Creation date: 11/10/2010. https://www.fishersci.com/store/msds

BIBLIOGRAPHY: (Use for background or further reading.)

1. Bernatchez SF, Tucker J, Chiffoleau G. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Oxygen Compatibility of Skin and Wound Care Products. Adv Wound Care (New Rochelle). 2017;6(11):371-381
2. Chimiak, J. (2010). Evaluating Equipment and Materials for Use in a Hyperbaric Oxygen Environment: Clinical Hyperbaric Evaluation and Testing (CHET) Program. (3rd ed.). Best Publishing Company.
3. McCord DE, Newton BE, Fore J, Chiffoleau G. The selection of skin care products for use in hyperbaric chamber may depend on flammability acceptability indices score. Adv Skin Wound Care. 2008;21(2):79-84.
4. Mize J., Hamm T. Prohibited Items, Risk Assessment And Authorization. WoundReference. https://woundreference.com/p/blog?id=prohibited-items-risk-assessment-and-authorization
5. Workman, W. T., & Wood, J. S. (2020). Hyperbaric Facility Safety: A Practical Guide (2nd ed.). Best Publishing Company.

   ---

   DISCLAIMER

   Neither the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) staff nor its members can provide medical diagnosis or recommend equipment over the internet.  If you have medical concerns about hyperbaric medicine you need to be evaluated by a doctor licensed to practice medicine in your locale, which can provide you professional recommendations for hyperbaric medicine based upon your condition. The responsibility of approving the use of equipment resides with the physician and hyperbaric safety director/coordinator of the facility.  Information provided on this forum is for general educational purposes only.  It is not intended to replace the advice of your own health care practitioner and you should not rely upon it as though it were specific medical advice given to you personally.

I have a potential new patient who has an indwelling port in her chest from prior oncology treatment. Are there any contraindications for placing a catheter like this in the chamber? I do not know the manufacturer or the last date it was accessed.

Posted: 5/7/2025

Q:  
I have a potential new patient who has an indwelling port in her chest from prior oncology treatment. Are there any contraindications for placing a catheter like this in the chamber? I do not know the manufacturer or the last date it was accessed.

A:
Thank you for your question. The UHMS HBO₂ Safety Committee can provide information to assist you in answering your question, but the ultimate responsibility for these types of questions rests with the Hyperbaric Medical Director or Physician-in-Charge (HMD/PIC) and Hyperbaric Safety Director/Coordinator (HSD/C) of your facility^(1,3,4).

Indwelling Venous Access Ports (Port-A-Cath, Power Port, etc.):

• Ports are indicated for patients requiring frequent and long-term intravenous therapy, such as the oncology population. Having a port allows healthcare professionals easy access to a major vein with low risk of infection.⁽²⁾
• This benefit is extremely important for the immuno-compromised population of oncology patients. Additionally, it reduces the pain that would otherwise be experienced with countless needle pokes for IVs, since the skin over a port hub becomes thicker and desensitized.⁽²⁾
• Another consideration is that oncology patients may receive chemotherapy often, which can be toxic and erosive to tissues in the body. By infusing chemotherapy through a strong vein via port, the medication has a lower chance of leaking into tissues and causing extravasation or irritation.⁽²⁾
• Once a port is implanted, a patient may receive intravenous therapy through it for the course of his/her treatment. An adult portal chamber can take about 2,000 punctures on average, which may last a patient several years.⁽²⁾
• Several members of the UHMS HBO₂ Safety Committee have decades of clinical experience treating patients who have these ports inside monoplace and multiplace chambers, without any adverse effects.

In Conclusion:

• As the device is fluid filled and the port is made of a self-sealing silicone⁽⁵⁾, there should not be cause for concern. To (our) knowledge, there are no reports of adverse events related to exposure of this device to pressure changes in the hyperbaric environment.

Respectfully,

UHMS HBO₂ Safety Committee

REFERENCES:

1. Burman F. Risk Assessment Guide for Installation and Operation of Clinical Hyperbaric Facilities. 6th ed. San Antonio: International ATMO, Inc; 2019.
2. Hamstra B, Port-A-Cath 101: How To Access The Port, org. Accessed 5/5/2025.
3. National Fire Protection Association. NFPA 99 2024 Edition: Health Care Facilities Code. Quincy; 2024.
4. Workman WT, Wood JS. Hyperbaric Facility Safety: A Practical Guide. 2nd ed: Best Publishing Company; 2020.
5. Yorkshire Vascular Access, Portacath Information v1.1 (2024), Accessed 5/5/2025.

DISCLAIMER

Neither the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) staff nor its members are able to provide medical diagnosis or recommend equipment over the internet.  If you have medical concerns about hyperbaric medicine you need to be evaluated by a doctor licensed to practice medicine in your locale, which can provide you professional recommendations for hyperbaric medicine based upon your condition. The responsibility of approving the use of equipment resides with the physician and safety director of the facility.  Information provided on this forum is for general educational purposes only.  It is not intended to replace the advice of your own health care practitioner and you should not rely upon it as though it were specific medical advice given to you personally.

Are the skin grip adhesive patches for Dexcom G7 soft covers ok to go in monoplane chamber?

Posted 1/2/2025

Q:  Are the skin grip adhesive patches for Dexcom G7 soft covers ok to go in monoplace chamber?

A:

Thank you for your question. The UHMS HBO₂ Safety Committee can provide information to assist you in answering your question, but the ultimate responsibility for these types of questions rests with the Hyperbaric Medical Director (HMD) and Hyperbaric Safety Director/Coordinator (HSD/C) of your facility.

The questioner is referring to adhesive that holds the sensor in place. Dexcom, Inc. also offers an “overpatch” - an adhesive pad that covers a larger area to keep the device in place. The exact composition of this adhesive is described as a “trade secret” by manufacturers, but similar products with adhesives have been utilized in monoplace, oxygen-filled chambers with no adverse effects from an oxygen-use perspective.

The items below show published data of products evaluated in oxygen using ASTM G72/72M-15 Special Case 2 (2015) to determine their lowest autogenous ignition temperature (AIT) under hyperbaric conditions.

(Flammability and Sensitivity of Materials in Oxygen-Enriched Atmospheres: 14th Volume (ASTM 2016))

The AIT results show us that a significant amount of effort is necessary to heat an adhesive (and Vaseline(tm)) to the point of vapor release with subsequent ignition. Given this understanding, the UHMS HBO2 Safety Committee sees no issue with the Dexcom G7 sensor adhesive. One word of caution: in general terms, if an adhesive is giving off an odor at the time of treatment, flammable vapors may be present. it would be prudent to allow enough time to pass for the adhesive to “set” or “dry”, usually no more than 24 hours.

Respectfully,

UHMS HBO₂ Safety Committee

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

1. Davis, S. E., & Steinberg, T. A. (2016). Flammability and Sensitivity of Materials in Oxygen-Enriched Atmospheres: 14th Volume. ASTM International. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1520/STP1596-EB

 DISCLAIMER

Neither the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) staff nor its members are able to provide medical diagnosis or recommend equipment over the internet.  If you have medical concerns about hyperbaric medicine you need to be evaluated by a doctor licensed to practice medicine in your locale, which can provide you professional recommendations for hyperbaric medicine based upon your condition. The responsibility of approving the use of equipment resides with the physician and safety director of the facility.  Information provided on this forum is for general educational purposes only.  It is not intended to replace the advice of your own health care practitioner and you should not rely upon it as though it were specific medical advice given to you personally.

We have a patient who has a baerveldt drainage device. Is this safe to treat, are there any contraindications?

Posted 1/2/25

Q: We have a patient who has a Baerveldt drainage device. Is this safe to treat, are there any contraindications?

 A:

Thank you for your question. The UHMS HBO₂ Safety Committee can provide information to assist you in answering your question, but the ultimate responsibility for these types of questions rests with the Hyperbaric Medical Director (HMD) and Hyperbaric Safety Director/Coordinator (HSD/C) of your facility.

This device is similar in design to the Ahmed Glaucoma valve, an item reviewed by the UHMS Safety Committee in 2020:

Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, MEDFAQ Response, “Ahmed Glaucoma Valve,” Accessed 12/13/2024, UHMS MEDFAQ LINK

The safety committee understands this item to be surgically attached to the sclera of the eye and free of air. Therefore, it is reasonable to consider that pressure would have no effect on the functionality of the device if it has been properly installed and primed. The valve is designed to keep intraocular pressure balanced. However, we suggest that a risk assessment be performed by the hyperbaric physician aided by the patient’s ophthalmologist to ensure that the device is functioning normally.

The Committee did reach out to the manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, and received the following response:      

“My R&D colleague reports that the Baerveldt Implant has not been tested under the specified condition (3 atm), so we unfortunately cannot substantiate efficacy under these conditions for this particular patient. The Baerveldt Implant functions in conjunction with the patient’s response to the encapsulation of the silicone plate, and this combined system determines the intraocular pressure (IOP). It is unknown whether HBOT will affect the relative difference between eye chamber pressure and bleb pressure (aqueous pressure at encapsulated plate) or if individual patient factors can affect this differential.

With that being said, I did a quick literature search on the effects of hyperbaric oxygen on intraocular pressure or glaucoma. There is not much data given that this is not a standard treatment used in our field, but it seems that hyperbaric oxygen will, at least, likely not induce elevated IOP. If anything, there have been reports of decreased IOP (Gallin-Cohen PF, Podos SM, Yablonski ME. Oxygen lowers intraocular pressure. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1980;19(1):43-48) or improved visual function in glaucoma patients without a lowering of IOP (Bojić L, Kovacević H, Andrić D, Romanović D, Petri NM. Hyperbaric oxygen dose of choice in the treatment of glaucoma. Arh Hig Rada Toksikol. 1993;44(3):239-247). Ultimately, IOP control and optic nerve health is what we want to monitor for these patients, and I highly recommend close monitoring with the patient’s eye care provider around time of treatment.”

These additional references may assist you in completing the risk assessment and determining the proper course of action for your particular case. Again, The Safety Committee suggests consulting the patient’s ophthalmologist prior to the decision to proceed with hyperbaric oxygen therapy:

Ersanli D, Akin T, “The effect of hyperbaric oxygen on intraocular pressure,”  Vol 33, No.1 : Journal of the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, 2006

McMonnies CW, “Hyperbaric oxygen therapy and the possibility of ocular complications or contraindications” Journal of clinical and experimental optometry, 2015, Volume 98, Issue 2, Pages 122-125

Respectfully,

UHMS HBO₂ Safety Committee

 DISCLAIMER

Neither the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) staff nor its members are able to provide medical diagnosis or recommend equipment over the internet.  If you have medical concerns about hyperbaric medicine you need to be evaluated by a doctor licensed to practice medicine in your locale, which can provide you professional recommendations for hyperbaric medicine based upon your condition. The responsibility of approving the use of equipment resides with the physician and safety director of the facility.  Information provided on this forum is for general educational purposes only.  It is not intended to replace the advice of your own health care practitioner and you should not rely upon it as though it were specific medical advice given to you personally.

Policy on Active Shooters

Posted: 10/11/24

Q: Policy on Active Shooters

A: 

I would defer to the institution’s local policy. It is not our place for the Safety Committee to weigh in on individual procedural documents. We could give references that may be useful in guiding document creation. 

Good examples of these are the San Diego ASM presentations and posters that were so well done. These talks may still be available for CME.  Visit www.courses-uhms.org. 

•  ACTIVE SHOOTER IN THE PRESSURIZED ENVIRONMENT SETTING: Geness Koumandakis, RRT, CHT
•  ACTIVE SHOOTER IN THE PRESSURIZED ENVIRONMENT: Jacquline Hocking, CHT 
•  ACTIVE SHOOTER IN THE PRESSURIZED VESSEL HUMAN OCCUPANCY ENVIRONMENT: ACTIONS – CONSIDERATIONS – RECOMMENDATIONS: JULIO R GARCIA RN, WCC, ACHRN
•  CODE SILVER / ACTIVE SHOOTER: Jolene E Comier, CHRN, CHT

A quick search of UHM showed the below older abstracts.

• E 8: Responding to an active shooter: Learning from one facility’s experience: Ptak J, Cormier J: UHM 2018, VOL. 45, NO. 5 – ASM 2018 SESSION E: HBO2 OPERATIONS, CHAMBERS AND EQUIPMENT
• Gunshot damage to monoplace hyperbaric chamber acrylic; UHM 2020, VOL. 47 NO. 2: Lindell K. Weaver; Kayla Deru; John Foley 

A couple of related MEDFAQs as well:

https://www.uhms.org/resources/featured-resources/medfaqs-frequently-asked-questions-faq/safety-technical/search.html?yrfaqsearch=shooter

I have a patient with an implanted loop recorder and Watchman device. Is it safe to treat with HBOT at 2.0 ATA.

Posted: 7/3/24

Q: I have a patient with an implanted loop recorder and Watchman device. Is it safe to treat with HBOT at 2.0 ATA.

A: 

The committee would be glad to assist you in answering your question, but please realize that the ultimate responsibility for these types of questions rests with the medical director and safety director of your facility.

Loop recorder:
In cases of undocumented medical devices where little is known of the device, we cannot unequivocally recommend it’s allowance in the chamber. Without knowing the manufacturer, make or model of the device, testing the device does not seem feasible. A proper risk assessment of the device would also be difficult to accomplish. You may wish to discuss removal of the device with the patient if there is an urgent/emergent need for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy or the benefit of therapy is deemed to be prodigious.

Watchman device:
This device is similar in design and purpose to other types of cardiac stents. The particular difference is that this implant helps to reduce clotting in a specific region of the heart known as the left atrial appendage. Patients with atrial fibrillation may benefit from the use of this implant by reducing the risk of stroke due to clots that tend to form in this area of the heart.

Several members of the Safety Committee have indicated that there are no overt concerns raised that would prohibit a patient with a cardiac Watchman Implant from receiving Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy.  One of the committee members consulted Boston Scientific and spoke with their representatives. They confirmed that “There are no issues with the Watchman and HBO therapy”. Additionally, the committee consulted a cardiovascular specialist who is familiar with this implant, who agreed with this conclusion. Therefore the UHMS Safety Committee sees no reason to withhold hyperbaric oxygen therapy from a patient due to the presence of a cardiac Watchman implant.

Respectfully,

The UHMS Safety Committee

DISCLAIMER

Neither the Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) staff nor its members are able to provide medical diagnosis or recommend equipment over the internet.  If you have medical concerns about hyperbaric medicine you need to be evaluated by a doctor licensed to practice medicine in your locale, which can provide you professional recommendations for hyperbaric medicine based upon your condition. The responsibility of approving the use of equipment resides with the physician and safety director of the facility.  Information provided on this forum is for general educational purposes only.  It is not intended to replace the advice of your own health care practitioner and you should not rely upon it as though it were specific medical advice given to you personally.