June 1, 2016
Page 9
Mississippi
Alberta
North Portland
Vancouver
East County
Beaverton
Dr. Enoch Huang shows off the new hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, the largest device of its kind in Oregon for treating difi-
cult-to-heal wounds caused by diabetes, circulatory problems, radiation therapy and other conditions. The chamber is 23 feet long inside and can accommodate up to 12
patients at a time.
Oxygen Under Pressure
Therapy chamber irst of its kind in Oregon
A new hyperbaric oxygen
therapy chamber for multiple pa-
tients, the largest in Oregon has
opened at Legacy Emanuel Med-
ical Center in north Portland.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
is one method used to treat dif-
icult-to-heal wounds caused by
diabetes, circulatory problems,
radiation therapy and other con-
ditions. The chamber can ac-
commodate up to 12 patients at
a time.
“Hyperbaric oxygen therapy
is our newest option for treating
wounds that don’t heal with stan-
dard approaches,” says Dr. Lori
Morgan, Legacy Emanuel’s chief
administrative oficer. “We offer
excellent wound care services and
this is just one more treatment op-
tion we can offer patients.”
During the treatment, patients
breathe pure oxygen within a
pressurized chamber through a
clear plastic hood or mask, in dai-
ly 90 minute sessions over 20-30
sessions.
“Oxygen under pressure acts
like a drug when it dissolves into
the blood,” explains Dr. Enoch
Huang, program medical director
for Hyperbaric Medicine/Wound
Healing for Legacy Emanuel and
Oregon’s only fellowship-trained,
board certiied hyperbaric physi-
cian.
“This helps speed cell repair
and form new blood vessels,
which in turn assists in the heal-
ing of wounds,” Huang said. “Re-
peated exposure to pressurized
oxygen gives a lifeline to isch-
emic tissue, boosts the effects of
some antibiotics, activates white
blood cells to ight certain infec-
tions, reduces tissue swelling,
and promotes the healing process
of speciic chronic wounds.”