What is the purpose of a Hyperbaric Stretcher?
A2 The presence of a hyperbaric stretcher at an accident or emergency site enables a casualty requiring hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) to be treated as soon as the first symptoms of the requirement become apparent. The importance of immediate treatment of diving accidents cannot be over-emphasised. Delay in treatment greatly reduces the likelihood of full resolution. Due to the lightness and portability of a hyperbaric stretcher, it is almost always possible to have a unit on site, irrespective of the whereabouts of the incident, whereas to have a larger therapeutic chamber available on site is often logistically not possible.
