Most often, patients experience difficulty in equalizing pressure within the middle ear producing pressure, then pain, if severe. If it is allowed to continue, rupture may occur. This toxic effect is time and depth dependent. Previous seizure disorder, certain drugs, and hypermetabolic states reduce this potential. Nonspecific signs and symptoms include nonproductive cough, retrosternal burning, dyspnea, and pleuritic pain.
Pulmonary toxicity is infrequent and almost always reversible.
Adjunctive HBO plays an important role in many hypoxic, ischemic, or compromised problem wounds. The major benefit is enhanced oxygen carrying capacity and tissue diffusion of oxygen to hypoxic tissues. These effects allow restoration of cellular function, enhanced fibroblast proliferation, collagen deposition, neovascularization, and enhanced polymorphonuclear cell function to combat local infection. In soft tissues the enhanced oxygen environment lasts up to four hours after exposure. In these patients, most small wounds or minor trauma ultimately heal albeit delayed.