100 Percent Oxygen

A unique therapy for radiation-damaged tissue

For cancer survivors, there is often a quest for a new normal—a way to manage the long-term physical and emotional effects of going through a life-altering disease. Different people will face different challenges, some of which may not be evident immediately. Patients who received radiation therapy, for example, may find themselves needing treatment now for tissue that was damaged years ago.

“We see the ramifications of this damage later,” explains Thomas A. Donohue, MD, Medical Director of St. Joseph’s/Candler’s Center for Hyperbarics and Wound Care in Savannah and Hinesville. “The cells are less healthy, there is more scar tissue and less blood flow. Internal and external wounds may develop in the areas radiated and fail to heal.”

Radiation therapy is more advanced and precise than ever before, so not all cancer patients experience soft tissue changes from treatment. But for those that do, Dr. Donohue can offer a non-invasive option: hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

“Hyperbaric oxygen decreases inflammation, kills bacteria, and helps the body build new blood vessels to get more oxygen and nutrition,” Dr. Donohue says.” “Basically, all of this brings more soldiers to the fight to aid in healing.”

A Change In Environment

Side effects from radiation therapy such as skin and deep tissue changes are common. Most of these are mild and treatable, and will go away once treatment is done. But depending on the type of cancer and the treatments a patient had, they may experience symptoms now from therapy they received years ago.

“What I tell my patients is that healthy tissue is like a jungle—vibrant, lush, and really alive,” Dr. Donohue says.  “Radiation can change it into something more like an African savanna during the dry season. It’s alive, but sparse and less vibrant.”

Wounds that develop in these areas may not be able to heal properly. Radiation damage from certain cancer treatments can also cause cystitis (bleeding and pain in the bladder), proctitis (damage to the colon), or osteoradionecrosis (the death of bone tissue, typically in the jawbone during head and neck cancer treatment). Dr. Donohue also treats breast cancer survivors with breast flaps that have been compromised by radiation therapy or any other soft tissue related radiation problems.

“We cannot make the tissue like a jungle again,” Dr. Donohue says. “But with hyperbaric treatment, we help bring back the vibrancy to that dried-out landscape. We can build a forest.”

How It Works

The hyperbaric chamber is basically a bed that slides into a large, clear plastic tube. Patients typically sleep comfortably or watch television for a 90-minute session. You breathe normally, but the chamber’s air pressure is increased, typically two times above normal atmospheric pressure. This may feel similar to what you experience in an airplane and can be relieved by swallowing or yawning.

As you lie in the chamber, you blood supply is flooded with 100 percent oxygen.

“The body is super-saturated with oxygen, and over time, that will help build new blood vessels in the affected area,” Dr. Donohue says.

The therapy will also diminish scar tissue and enhance the function of many cell lines including stem cells that promote healing.

A typical treatment regimen for hyperbaric oxygen therapy is 30 to 40 sessions in the chamber, each weekday for over six to eight weeks. Dr. Donohue concedes that this is a serious time commitment.

“Building new blood vessels to heal an affected tissue takes time,” he says. “That’s why it is important for us to offer this treatment in Hinesville and Bluffton as well as Savannah. We offer an individualized treatment plan that is closer to home.”

The Center for Hyperbarics and Wound Care

Our physicians and staff use the most advanced approaches to healing a variety of wounds including burns, diabetic ulcers, and more.

These are outpatient, non-emergent care facilities. For an emergency, please call 911. Contact the center nearest you for more information about its services.

In Savannah:
Candler Hospital
Heart and Lung Building, Suite 201
5353 Reynolds Street
912-819-8187

In Hinesville:
103 East General Stewart Way, Suite B
912-332-5621

There is also a Center for Hyperbarics and Wound Care at 19 Moss Creek Village in Bluffton, SC. Call 843-837-9000 to learn more about this location.