In Mariners Hospital’s Hyperbaric Chamber, patients benefit from the healing power of oxygen

Tavernier, FL – November 26, 2019 – After enduring four years of chronic pain and swelling and multiple surgeries and therapy sessions to treat his foot injury, Keys resident and Mariners Hospital Imaging Director, J.C. Holmes, is finally getting relief, thanks to hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions at Mariners Hospital. While receiving treatment in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber, patients like Mr. Holmes are completely immersed in 100 percent oxygen delivered at high pressure. The process greatly increases the level of oxygen in the bloodstream, which speeds healing, helps fight infection, eliminates toxic substances and provides other health benefits.

Mariners Hospital has the only hospital-based hyperbaric chamber in the Florida Keys. The clinical team often utilizes the therapy to treat decompression sickness—a hazard of scuba diving also known as “the bends,”— as well as other conditions such as serious infections, bubbles of air in the blood vessels and wounds that won’t heal as a result of diabetes or radiation injury.

“When tissue is injured, it requires even more oxygen than normal to heal and survive,” said Scott Fowler, manager of Hyperbaric Medicine at Mariners Hospital. “We take over when traditional wound care doesn’t work.”

The treatment protocol for Mr. Holmes’ L-shaped foot injury consisted of 30, two-hour sessions in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber. The chamber’s large size enabled Mr. Holmes to relax, sleep, watch TV or talk with his hyperbaric therapist while receiving treatment.

“The team at Mariners Hospital was wonderful,” he said. “You are in a very intimate setting, and they put you at ease. They helped with any questions or anxiety I had and walked me through every step.”

Within the first 10 days of treatment, Mr. Holmes noticed a decrease in pain and swelling.

“This is the first year out of the last five that I have lived relatively pain-free,” he said. “Now, every time I peddle a bike pain-free, I think of how thankful I am to the hyperbaric medicine team.”

About Mariners Hospital
Mariners Hospital is part of Baptist Health South Florida, the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 11 hospitals, nearly 23,000 employees, more than 4,000 physicians and more than 100 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned centers of excellence in cancer, cardiovascular care, orthopedics and sports medicine, and neurosciences. In addition, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and Baptist Health Care On Demand, a virtual health platform. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Photos/captions:

The hyperbaric oxygen chamber at Mariners Hospital is a large cylinder with clear viewports, comfortable seating and standing room.

Kathi Merriman, R.N., monitors patient J.C. Holmes.

Scott Fowler, manager of Hyperbaric Medicine at Mariners Hospital, and Kathi Merriman, R.N., review results.