The National Hyperbaric Center (NHC) of the Royal Hospital, which will be soon launched, has recently started operating receiving people for treatment.

The overall cost of the center is estimated by two million and 300,000 Omani Riyal (OR). The Center is built on an area of 851 meter square equipped with the necessary medical devices. It contains several facilities including medical records section, computer room, a triage room, three diagnosis & treatment rooms, and a store. In addition, the center has the main chamber that comprises a number of three Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) devices, in which two of them are in multiplace chambers that accommodates 12 persons for each, and one is set in a monoplace chamber that only accommodates one patient.

Safety regulations and criteria were taken into account in establishing the National Hyperbaric center therefore fire-fighting equipment and fire alarms had been installed, in addition to the multiple emergency exits.

In this regard, H.E. Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Al Saidi, Minister of Health, stated that introducing this service into the Sultanate’s health system is in response to the urgent need for it in various treatments from one side, and from another side it emphasizes the Ministry’s keenness to developing its health services according to the local health indicators. As well as the modern techniques and scientific updates, that in many times demand the provision of specialized health care services in different medicine fields.  

Dr. Qasim Al Salmi, RH Director General pointed out that Hyperbaric medicine is of the relatively new medical specializations that concerns with the study of the physiological effects on the health of human body with the possibility of speeding up the healing process for various pathological cases by the use of Hyperbaric oxygen technique.

 Illustrating the treatment procedure of Hyperbaric oxygen, Dr. Aysha Habeeb Al Balushi, NHC In-charge Doctor, clarified that during the treatment, the patient is breathing 100% pure oxygen by oxygen breathing mask with under compressed air surrounding carried out in a closed cylindrical-shaped chamber. The therapeutic session takes around two hours in stable cases. The patient may undergo several sessions that range between 20-40 sessions following physician evaluation of the patient’s condition and treatment response.

The Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy approach involved two mechanisms that are the mechanical effect resulting from high atmospheric pressure and the physiological response.

It is worthy noted that the HBOT is considered a basic treatment for several cases most important of which are air embolism, Carbon monoxide poisoning, and decompression sickness. It is also used as a complementary therapy for diabetic foot ulcers, sudden sensorineural hearing loss, accidents injuries, in addition to it is used in the Enhancement of healing in selected problem wounds and treatment of some morbidities caused by microbes.

Notably, the entire medical cadre at the National Hyperbaric Center underwent training in specialized centers in Germany and Austria, along with practical training program at the Said Bin Sultan Naval Base (SBSNB) Medical Complex.