Dr. Alberto Terrazas Kocurek - What Is Undersea And Hyperbaric Medicine?
Dr. Alberto Kocurek practices Emergency Medicine in Texas City, TX. Dr. Kocurek assesses patients who seek immediate medical attention at any time of day or night. Emergency Medicine Physicians are trained to efficiently work with each patient and situation no matter how acute or life-threatening. Dr. Kocurek examines... more
What is Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine?
Undersea and hyperbaric medicine is a medical subspecialty that involves the prevention of injury and illness from exposure to environments with increased ambient pressure, such as diving or hyperbaric chamber exposure.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) is a treatment used to help the body heal after extreme injury or difficult to treat wounds by delivering high doses of oxygen greater than barometric or sea-level air pressure. Patients undergoing hyperbaric treatment are placed in a chamber where 100% oxygen is circulated. The increased oxygen promotes the body’s own healing mechanism and helps the patient fight infections.
Decompression Sickness (DCS) refers to injuries caused by a rapid decrease in the pressure that surrounds you, of either air or water. This commonly occurs in scuba divers or deep-sea divers. The symptoms often include fatigue and pain in muscles and joints.The main treatment for decompression sickness is hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Air Embolism refers to bubbles in the arterial or venous circulation. Venous bubbles can result from compressed gas diving, such as scuba diving. The symptoms usually occur within seconds to minutes of the event and can include loss of consciousness, confusion, or neurological deficits. The main treatment for air embolism is hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
