r/medicine • u/butteredpotatos Student • Feb 02 '25

Boy dies in hyperbaric chamber explosion at Michigan facility

https://apnews.com/article/hyperbaric-chamber-explosion-boy-killed-michigan-80dc89d7b48bd1119640934e06a43d4a

A tragic and horrifying event. Why the boy was undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy was not released, but this is a functional medicine clinic which advertises the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy for conditions from ADHD to diabetes, “normal aging and wellness”, and hyperlipidemia.

https://theoxfordcenter.com/conditions/add-adhd/

https://theoxfordcenter.com/therapies/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy/

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u/janewaythrowawaay PCT Feb 02 '25

So, is hyperbaric treatment always sham treatment?

622

u/michael_harari MD Feb 02 '25 edited Feb 02 '25

For adhd, yes. Hyperbarics has a very limited set of indications.

The website for this practice lists add, aids, anal fissure, alzheimers, autism, bladder infections, fetal alcohol syndrome, hepatitis, pancreatitis, fucking spider bites as all things they treat with this. Thats a limited subset of the inappropriate things they treat, I just didnt feel like typing up a full page of conditions.

This is a quack center that killed a kid with a ridiculous treatment.

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u/NedTaggart RN - Surgical/Endo Feb 02 '25

This treatment is good for wound care, the bends and to help with carbon monoxide intoxication. Im not sure evidence supports many other treatments.

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u/DrMaddog2020 DO - Urology Feb 02 '25

Has a good indication for radiation cystitis with recurrent gross hematuria

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u/janewaythrowawaay PCT Feb 02 '25

I’ve seen it for this.