History of Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine

What is Hyperbaric Medicine?

Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine (UHM) is a discipline that deals with the prevention of injury and illness due to exposure to environments in which the ambient pressure is increased, such as diving or hyperbaric chamber exposure, and the therapeutic use of high environmental pressure and the delivery of oxygen under high pressure to treat disease. In other words, it's about using extra pressure and oxygen to treat injuries and illnesses.

Why Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine?

• Unique and Specialized: UHM is a highly specialized field combining elements of emergency medicine (EM), wound care, diving medicine, and critical care. This field is very attractive for those drawn to unique medical challenges.
• Interest in Diving Medicine: This field is wonderful for those who already have a personal interest in scuba diving or other underwater exploration activities as it combines this passion with medical expertise.
• Advancing and Developing Expertise in Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) and Wound Care: Mastering the technology of HBOT is very attractive as it expands the physician's tool belt, offering treatments for commonly encountered complaints such as diabetic ulcers and other infections.
• Career Flexibility and Satisfaction: This subspecialty opens doors to a variety of career paths, from community to academic to outpatient settings. In turn, many specialists have found this career path extremely fulfilling as it offers a great work-life balance and exposure to a supportive and tight-knit community.

Background & Timeline

• 1662: British physician Nathaniel Henshaw recorded the first use of pressurized gas to treat medical disorders.
• 1774: English chemist Joseph Priestly discovered oxygen and noted its benefits to wound healing.
• 1834: French physicians Junod and Fabare built a copper sphere hyperbaric chamber achieving pressures of 2-4 atm.
• 1859: The first death from decompression sickness was recorded during the construction of Royal Albert Bridge.
• 1860: The first hyperbaric chamber was used in North America.
• 1908: Dr. John Scott Haldane developed the dive tables for the Royal Navy. Because of his research, he began to be referred to as the "Father of Oxygen Therapy."
• 1918: Physician Orville Cunningham treated influenza patients with hyperbaric oxygen therapy (and built a five-story chamber in 1928).
• 1940s/50s: The purposes of HBOT began to expand, including wound treatment, carbon monoxide poisoning, and to enhance radiation therapy for cancer patients and cardiac surgery.
• 1960s: HBOT became part of medical practice, especially for treating gas gangrene and ischemias.
• 1983: The American College of Hyperbaric Medicine was founded.
• 1986: The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Society (UHMS) was set up.
• 1991: UHM is formally recognized by the American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) as a medical subspecialty.
• 2004: Hyperbaric medicine becomes an independent medical discipline.