Patients recovering at Medical City Plano now have access to powerful healing therapy at  Collin County’s first ever in-patient hyperbaric oxygen therapy unit. The service is part of the Burn and Reconstructive Center, which opened in 2015 and serves as Collin County’s first and only Burn Center.

“Starting these services while still in the hospital under our care is advantageous for healing and continuity of care,” said Salil Gulati, MD, medical director of burn and reconstructive surgery at Medical City Plano. “When tissue has been compromised, it’s important to begin treatment to try to restore it as soon as possible. This in-patient service will be able to provide a crucial, time-sensitive treatment to the community in a way that has never been done before.”

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy provides 100% oxygen – an amount five times greater than the oxygen we normally breathe in the air – in a submarine-like chamber. The high pressure increases oxygen absorption, improving blood circulation and allowing tissues to regenerate quicker. Hyperbaric therapy is effective treatment to speed healing in patients recovering from skin grafts, flap procedures, burns, carbon monoxide poisoning, radiation therapy injuries from cancer treatment and decompression sickness.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy at Medical City Plano is available to patients 24 hours a day with experienced staff on-call around the clock to manage the sessions. Unlike outside hyperbaric oxygen centers, patients have access to this therapy without waiting for discharge or a doctor referral.

“As Collin County’s only Level I Trauma Center, we see patients who are often at their worst. Our expert physicians and staff work tirelessly to restore their lives,” said Charles Gressle, CEO of Medical City Plano. “Adding in-patient hyperbaric oxygen therapy during this critical point in care improves outcomes for the many complex injuries we see in our hospital each day. We’re proud to again be called a pioneer in Collin County, and continue the more than forty-year legacy of excellence we’ve created.”