Center for Aerospace and Hyperbaric Medicine
The OSU Center for Aerospace and Hyperbaric Medicine is dedicated to providing education, research and medical consultation to facilitate human activity in the full spectrum of altered ambient pressure environments. We have the capability to replicate the low-pressure aerospace environments to the high-pressure deep sea and deep earth environments. Our staff has more than 100 years of military/academic experience.
Contact
Nancy Willmann RN,CRC
Clinical Research Hospital Coordinator
Supervisor of Hyperbaric Medicine Research
Cell: 918-863-9875
Fax: 918-599-4662
Hyperbaric (Dive) Chamber
OSU Center for Aerospace and Hyperbaric Medicine operates a hyperbaric chamber.
Chamber and Facility Information
- Hyperbaric chamber manufactured by Gulf Coast Hyperbarics
- A roomy 12 person, state-of-the-art multi-place chamber
- Equipped with a patient entertainment system
- Operated by UHMS certified hyperbaric technicians, who accompany patients during treatments
Research
The International Hyperbaric Medical Foundation is studying a low-pressure hyperbaric oxygen treatment protocol in volunteers who have been diagnosed with Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)/Post-Concussion Syndrome (PCS) and TBI/Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in a multicenter clinical trial using an observational study design. OSU Center for Aerospace and Hyperbaric Medicine is a leading site in this research project.
Hypobaric (Altitude) Chamber
The OSU Center for Aerospace and Hyperbaric Medicine operates two hypobaric chambers - one for research and one for pilot training.
Research Chamber Information
- 100,000 foot maximum sustainable altitude
- 1,280 cubic foot main chamber
- 420 cubic foot outer chamber
- Configurable to most needs
- Usable in Human Research or Equipment Testing
Training Chamber Information
From classes for the novice to training customized for corporate or commercial flight crews, each aviation physiology course begins in the classroom and offers a supervised altitude chamber experience. These sessions meet FAA requirements and are designed to teach the aircrew about the physiological challenges associated with flight.
- 16 person main chamber for Hypoxia and Night Vision experience
- 6 person outer chamber for rapid decompression experience
- MBU 5 or MBU 12 positive pressure oxygen masks
- CRU-73/A Low Pressure Panel Mounted regulators
OSU Aviation Clinic
The OSU Aviation Clinic provides Class I-Ill and student medical exams. To make an appointment, call 918-863-9875.
Hours:
Tuesday, Thursday and Friday8:30 a.m. to Noon
Location:
Svetlana Kurklinsky, PhD, CCRP
Director of Clinical Research
OSU Center for Health Sciences
Training and Research
Training and Research Areas
- Aviation Physiology
- Aerospace Medical Research
- Hyperbaric Physiology
- Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Training
Research Partners
- Boeing Aircraft (7E7 Dreamliner)
- OSU Wing Project (DARPA)
Staff
Paul B. Rock, D.O., Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Medicine
Director, Center for Aerospace and Hyperbaric Medicine
918-599-4665
paul.rock@okstate.edu
Dr. Rock has served more than 20 years as an internist and flight surgeon in the U.S. Army, and more than 20 years experience researching the medical effect of high altitude exposure. Dr. Rock has published more than 100 articles in scientific and medical research journals.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy, also referred as HBOT is a medical treatment that involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized room or tube. Currently Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used for the following conditions.
- Anemia, severe
- Brain abscess
- Bubbles of air in your blood vessels (arterial gas embolism)
- Burn
- Decompression sickness
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Crushing injury and suturing of severed limbs
- Sudden deafness
- Gangrene
- Infection of skin or bone that causes tissue death
- Nonhealing wounds, such as a diabetic foot ulcer
- Radiation injury
- Skin graft or skin flap at risk of tissue death
- Vision loss, sudden and painless
- Acute carbon monoxide intoxication
- Decompression illness
- Acute traumatic peripheral ischemia
- Progressive necrotizing infections
- Acute peripheral arterial insufficiency
- Preparation and preservation of compromised skin grafts
- Chronic refractory osteomyelitis, unresponsive to conventional medical and surgical management
- Osteoradionecrosis as an adjunct to conventional treatment
- Soft tissue radionecrosis as an adjunct to conventional treatment
- Cyanide poisoning
- Actinomycosis, only as an adjunct to conventional therapy when the disease process is refractory to antibiotics and surgical treatment
- Diabetic wounds of the lower extremities if all of these apply:
-
You have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes and have a lower extremity wound that’s due to diabetes.
-
You have a wound classified as Wagner grade III or higher.
-
You’ve failed an adequate course of standard wound therapy.
In a hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber, the air pressure is increased. Under these conditions, your lungs can gather more oxygen than would be possible breathing pure oxygen at normal air pressure. Your blood carries this oxygen throughout your body. An increase in blood oxygen temporarily restores normal levels of blood gases and tissue function to promote healing and fight infection. This helps fight bacteria and stimulate the release of substances called growth factors and stem cells, which promote healing.
Risks
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is generally a safe procedure. Complications are rare. Patients receiving HBOT are at risk of suffering an injury that can be mild (such as sinus pain, ear pressure, painful joints, temporary nearsightedness (myopia) caused by temporary eye lens changes, middle ear injuries, including leaking fluid and eardrum rupture, or serious (such as Seizures as a result of too much oxygen (oxygen toxicity) in your central nervous system, paralysis, air embolism). Since hyperbaric chambers are oxygen rich environments, there is also a risk of fire.
After hyperbaric oxygen therapy
You may feel somewhat tired or hungry following your treatment. This doesn't limit normal activities.
Results
To benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy, you'll likely need more than one session. The number of sessions depends on your medical condition. To effectively treat other conditions, hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan and administered with other therapies and drugs that fit your individual needs.
The Oklahoma Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment and Recovery Act
The Oklahoma Veterans Traumatic Brain Injury Treatment and Recovery Act
OSU Research
For Research projects contact: Nancy Willnann RN, CRCClinical Research Coordinatornancy.willmann@okstate.edu Svetlana Kurklinksky, PhD, CCRP Director of Clinical Researchsvetlana.kurklinsky@okstate.edu