Mayo Clinic gets hyperbaric pressure unit

The Mayo Clinic is preparing for the arrival of a 3,800-cubic-foot hyperbaric pressure vessel from Australia.

The rectangular, prefabricated chamber is made of high-strength steel and contains a suite of specialized therapy rooms. Hyperbaric pressure vessels are used to increase atmospheric pressure and deliver high concentrations of oxygen to treat various medical conditions.

The unusual therapy unit is to arrive Saturday and be installed within four hours, lifted by a crane and slid through an opening in the hospital's wall. Rochester Methodist Hospital is one of the two Mayo Clinic hospitals located in the city.

Mayo Clinic physicians are expected to use the chamber primarily to enhance wound healing, a chronic problem for some patients that places them at risk for limb amputation. The hyperbaric vessel will also be used for altitude research relating to health and aerospace transport systems.

source:www.sciencedaily.com