Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is the use of oxygen at increased atmospheric pressure. It is a non-invasive, painless procedure that improves the body's natural healing process. The patient inhales 100% oxygen in a total body chamber where atmospheric pressure is increased and controlled. Today, patients are treated in either monoplace chambers or multiplace chambers.
Physicians learn at the bedside through "teaching moments" encountered when interacting with patients. The majority of the available products do not replicate this approach. A conventional textbook is formatted in a hierarchical and linear fashion, and newer web-based resources are informative and non-hierarchical but do not address information in a practical, patient-focused approach. The optimal way to learn is to see the aspects of management demonstrated in a clinical context. Hence, the approach of this text will use case presentations, which are illustrative of key management principles. Additionally, principles of management can be divided into conventional management and into aspects of care which are more controversial.
Written by experts in the field, Evidence-Based Hyperbaric Medicine provides evidence-based, practical, helpful information for anyone involved in Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy. It covers the physiologic principles that constitute the basis for understanding the basic principles, clinical implications and treatment applications. Different applications of HBOT are discussed as well as recent advances, research and new therapeutic approaches.
Dr. Antonio Joao Gandra D'Almeida is a doctor in the Portuguese Armed Forces, with areas of interest in general surgery, critical care patients and catastrophe. He has a European Masters in Catastrophe, is a Fellow of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a Trainer of several courses in his areas of interest and an Editor of FCCS Surgical who has collaborated on several books.
Dr. Jorge Hidalgo is a Professor of Critical Care and Head of the Division of Critical Care at Belize Healthcare Partners. He currently serves as
President of the World Federation of Societies of Intensive and Critical Care Medicine (WFSICCM).
In 2012, Dr. Hidalgo was awarded the
Master of the American College of Physicians (MACP), the highest recognition the College bestows upon its members. For over a decade, he has been the Director of the prestigious
ACP Review Course hosted by the Paraguayan Society of Internal Medicine.
In recognition of his outstanding contributions to the
Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM), Dr. Hidalgo has received the
Presidential Citation Award for ten consecutive years. He is also a two-time recipient (2016 and 2023) of the
Global Safar Award, and in 2016 became the
first Latin American intensivist to receive the title
Master of the American College of Critical Care Medicine (MACCCM).
A Fellow of the American College of Chest Physicians (FCCP), Dr. Hidalgo is an accomplished author and editor of numerous books and chapters on Critical Care Medicine. His recent publications with Springer include
Critical Care Administration and Highly Infectious Diseases in Critical Care. He serves as Editor of
Fundamental Critical Care Support (FCCS) - Tropical and actively contributes to the review and development of the
MCCRC, FCCS, FCCS Obstetrics, and
FCCS Surgical courses for the SCCM.
Dr. Hidalgo is the SCCM Co-Chair of the
Surviving Sepsis Campaign for Low-Resource Settings and is a regular international speaker, sharing his expertise and advancing critical care globally.
