HAIs: Fighting A Pandemic Already In Progress

Yesterday we doubted whether HBOT has any role in treating H1N1, the so-called swine flu, poised for a comeback this fall and winter. But we have no doubt hyperbaric oxygen is a powerful weapon against the baddest bugs our healthcare community is fighting right here right now. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Turns out most of these tiny culprits find life real hard in pure oxygen under high pressure. Researchers have shown us the proof in the petri dish. Clinicians have borne out the evidence in treating chronic wounds and several other approved conditions, including necrotizing infections, intracranial abscess, osteomyelitis, and gas gangrene, where HBOT helps control methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and other troublesome bacteria.

There's plenty hospitals can do to prevent hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), sometimes also called healthcare-acquired or nosocomial infections. And there's plenty they're not doing. A recent CNN report sings the praises of some of this war's unsung heroes. Our question is, What's the best course of treatment when prevention fails and attacking bacteria outmatch our best antibiotics? We think you'll be seeing HBOT in the mix and in the news more and more.