Hyperbaric Chamber of the San Carlos de San Fernando Hospital, an underutilized service

Hyperbaric chamber is underutilized at San Carlos Hospital, “If in Puerta del Mar, Jerez, Macarena Hospital or Virgen del Rocío they do not know that this service exists or what possibilities it offers for the treatment of different pathologies, they do not go to it. What is not known, are not used”, explains Dr. Emilio Salas Pardo, the man who directed the service until a few years ago, who looks on with concern – as he told a few days ago in an informative conversation organized by María Blanca. San Fernando– Its drift despite being a clear reference to hyperbaric medicine in Andalusia.

Hyperbaric oxygen is 100% oxygenAt pressures greater than atmospheric, a saturation we seek correct, improve, or reduce deformities In which low pressure oxygen prevents or slows recovery. Thus, it is used in patients with radio-induced injuries, healing disorders, varicose ulcers, carbon monoxide poisoning, consequences of stroke, fibromyalgia (relieves symptoms of swelling, pain or stiffness) or diving accidents.



This is the reason for its existence: the Hyperbaric Chamber of the San Carlos Hospital was part of the service portfolio of the former military hospital and when it passed into the hands of the Andalusian Health Service (SAS) it continued to function with an agreement. Both administrations (Ministry of Defense and Junta de Andalusia). In fact, it was left in the hands of defense medical personnel. “But there are no experts anymore“, says Emilio Salas Pardo, after the departure of him and Dr. Cuéllar, who later remained head of the service. Now it is doctors of other specialties – “In defense, the health service is also in crisis, this training” – Those who control it, but they are only trained in diving accidents courses, not hyperbaric medicine.

The problem is “the inability of the SAS to train its doctors so that one day they can replace retired defense personnel,” he says. This was one of their demands at this week’s briefing: “The SAS does not create substitute medical personnel for defense doctors, it does not act on this matter and the times are against it.”

Meanwhile, professionals taking charge of the hyperbaric chamber do so uncertainly because it does not currently exist. agreement Between both the parties. “At that time they were built for civil-military use,” recalls Emilio Salas. There is no one else for two yearsWhich does not help the service to have “optimal” dynamics because “you work with the old, you cannot do anything new, there are budgetary and personnel problems.”

“It is a mistake to confuse politics with health: That the party governing in Andalusia does not correspond to that of Madrid should not affect him. The ideologies about which pathologies can be treated, diabetic foot disorders, gangrene, carbon monoxide or smoke poisoning, are not understood. “I asked the health advisor Isa Blanco, who was present at the meeting, to convey this complaint,” says the medical colonel.

For defending And whether the Navy uses the San Carlos hyperbaric chamber or not is “a secondary issue, it’s not in their interest.” they only They have it activated because NATO requires it in case of any incident in diving activities at Rota Naval Base, The SAS, for its part, was “faced with a new thing it did not know about.” “Fight against permanent skepticism”, believes this former head of the service, who recalls how at the time its use was refused to treat fibromyalgia “to avoid knock-on effects”. , despite the fact that they had “clear, well-designed protocols.”

Lack of information is another problem for hyperbaric chambers. There is misinformation among heads and representatives of services that may benefit from hyperbaric oxygen treatment, Emilio Salas Pardo speaks from radiation oncology, vascular surgery or neurology. That’s why I consider it “underused”. “If you don’t know it exists or what possibilities it offers, you don’t use it. If a nephrologist or urologist doesn’t know about it, they have a hard time sending a person with radiation cystitis. The thought doesn’t come. In the hyperbaric chamber and the man is bleeding and dying.”, gives an example. It is the duty of the administration to provide information.

aspire to be a reference

In fact, he argues that San Carlos Hospital “should be a reference” for hyperbaric medicine, especially in the treatment of people poisoned by smoke and monoxide., “Sending them to other hospitals without a camera is a mistake, wasting time when there is already suspicion – in fires, in heavily smoky garages, in incidents with butane gas bottles or heaters – because it would take an immediate treatment. There are a lot of scientific publications that support this,” he insists.

as an example Application of Hyperbaric Oxygen Salas refers to headache and migraine. To this he also adds that up to seven cases, he reveals, San Carlos continues to treat Covid “with great success” Fatigue, in its form of chronic fatigue. He believes, “This is a good course of action, not to wait for the SAS to officially approve the sign, but for doctors and health workers to have the courage to do the same in San Carlos, as in other hospitals. being done.”

Despite this indication of use, if the Hyperbaric Medicine Service of San Carlos Hospital “began to decline in responsibility even from a military health point of view, it would cause a domino effect. It is a shame to me that such a very well structured work is gradually slowing down due to the apathy of the administration.“, Mint.

In his opinion, one factor that influences this attitude is Hyperbaric oxygen doesn’t make money, “If we were talking about large laboratories, the pharmaceutical and pharmaceutical industries, and therefore commercial business, it would have a greater predominance.” This adds to what has already been mentioned: that SAS is “founded in enduring doubt and confusion because it is not the first known drug” and is used for defense beyond diving accidents or No that’s a secondary issue, “You don’t have to worry about giving hyperbaric oxygen to civilians.”

“These three things are already affecting and will further affect the immediate future of the service,” warns its former manager, who believes the first thing that needs to be done is A use agreement is to be signed between the two administrations to change the mobilityBoard and Central Government.

A third, now common, problem that Salas addressed in the talk is Proliferation of single-seat cameras In beauty centres, hairdressers and gyms, when it is not used for beauty and rejuvenation, he described it as “Danger,

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