title: A Retrospective Analysis of Adverse Events in Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (2012-2015): Lessons Learned From 1.5 Million Treatments.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the distribution and occurrence of adverse events recorded during hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy from 2012 to 2015. In this analysis, events are defined as otic/sinus barotrauma, confinement anxiety, hypoglycemia, oxygen toxicity, pneumothorax, seizure, and shortness of breath.
  
  
  METHODS
  The data for the analysis were drawn from a proprietary electronic health data system that contained information on 1,529,859 hyperbaric treatments administered during 53,371 treatment courses from 2012 to 2015 in outpatient wound care centers across the United States managed by Healogics, Inc, Jacksonville, Florida.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 1.5 million treatments included in the analysis, 0.68% were associated with an adverse event. Barotrauma and confinement anxiety were the most frequently reported events. Medically severe events were extremely uncommon, with fewer than 0.05 instances of oxygen toxicity per 1000 treatments and only 1 confirmed case of pneumothorax.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results indicate that the occurrence of adverse events associated with HBO therapy is infrequent and typically not serious. The findings of this study suggest that when administered according to the appropriate therapeutic protocols HBO therapy is a safe and low-risk intervention.
authors.affiliation: Hanna Jokinen-Gordon, PhD, is Director of Research and Informatics; Richard C. Barry, MS, CHT-A, is Vice President of Facility and Hyperbaric Services; Beckie Watson, BSH, is Vice President of Quality, and D. Scott Covington, MD, FACS, CHWS, is Chief Medical Officer, Healogics, Inc, Jacksonville, Florida. The authors have disclosed they are employees of Healogics, Inc, a healthcare management company and provider of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
authors.forename: Hanna
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jokinen-Gordon
authors.forename: Richard C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Barry
authors.forename: Beckie
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: D Scott
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Covington
mesh_terms: D001469:Barotrauma / Q000209:etiology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000293:injuries; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000379:methods; D010256:Paranasal Sinuses / Q000293:injuries; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D010808:Physical Examination / Q000379:methods; D012640:Seizures / Q000209:etiology; D014481:United States