hyperbaric chamber, also called decompression chamber or recompression chamber, sealed chamber in which a high-pressure environment is used primarily to treat decompression sickness, gas embolism, carbon monoxide poisoning, gas gangrene resulting from infection by anaerobic bacteria, tissue injury arising from ...

What happens in a decompression chamber?

In a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber, the air pressure is increased two to three times higher than normal air pressure. Under these conditions, your lungs can gather much more oxygen than would be possible breathing pure oxygen at normal air pressure.

How long do you stay in a decompression chamber?

Side effects and possible complications of HBOT

During HBOT, you lie on a table in an enclosed chamber and breathe oxygen while the pressure inside the chamber is slowly increased. The therapy may last as little as 3 minutes or as long as 2 hours before the pressure is returned to normal levels.