**6. Developments in HBOT chambers**

In 1860, the first hyperbaric chamber in the North American continent was constructed in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. A year later, a neurologist, James Leonard Corning, built the first hyperbaric chamber in the USA in New York. This chamber was used to treat "nervous and related disorders." The first decompression chamber was invented by the Italian engineer Alberto Gianni in 1916 [39, 40]. In 1928, the Harvard Medical School built a hyperbaric chamber for medical research. Among the largest HBOT chambers is the 22 ton 32 ft wide 14 ft wide one at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, USA.

In modern times, many traditional hard-shell hyperbaric chambers and softshell, portable hyperbaric chambers (**Figures 13–18**) are manufactured by several companies and available in every major city. The latest chambers must comply with NFPA-992012 Edition Chapter 14 Code in the USA and European 1997 CEN pressure vessels 97/23E standards as well as the 1998 ECHM recommendations for safety. The newer chambers feature hingeless pressure-sealed doors, antifriction bearings, antibacterial leather upholstery, and high-quality resin fiber loop mattresses and pillows that dissipate heat and moisture generated by the body during therapy. The newer low-pressure monoplace chambers are portable and less

**77**

*Historical Aspects of Hyperbaric Physiology and Medicine*

expensive. Operating between 1.2 and 1.3 ATA pressures, they are eminently suited for use in homes and spas and also find use to improve results after plastic surgery. The earliest documentation of therapeutic use of HBOT in animals was in 1998.

The Veterinary Hyperbaric Medicine Society was formed in 2006. Veterinary-

The evolution of HBOT chambers over time is chronicled in **Figure 13**.

specific hyperbaric chambers are available.

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85216*

**Figure 14.**

**Figure 15.**

**Figure 16.**

**Figure 17.**

*Multiplace HBOT chamber.*

*Hyperbaric operation suite.*

*Recompression chamber.*

*Monoplace HBO chamber.*

**Figure 13.** *The evolution of hyperbaric chambers.*

*Historical Aspects of Hyperbaric Physiology and Medicine DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.85216*

**Figure 14.** *Monoplace HBO chamber.*

*Respiratory Physiology*

**6. Developments in HBOT chambers**

Regional Medical Center, USA.

In 1860, the first hyperbaric chamber in the North American continent was constructed in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. A year later, a neurologist, James Leonard Corning, built the first hyperbaric chamber in the USA in New York. This chamber was used to treat "nervous and related disorders." The first decompression chamber was invented by the Italian engineer Alberto Gianni in 1916 [39, 40]. In 1928, the Harvard Medical School built a hyperbaric chamber for medical research. Among the largest HBOT chambers is the 22 ton 32 ft wide 14 ft wide one at the Utah Valley

In modern times, many traditional hard-shell hyperbaric chambers and softshell, portable hyperbaric chambers (**Figures 13–18**) are manufactured by several companies and available in every major city. The latest chambers must comply with NFPA-992012 Edition Chapter 14 Code in the USA and European 1997 CEN pressure vessels 97/23E standards as well as the 1998 ECHM recommendations for safety. The newer chambers feature hingeless pressure-sealed doors, antifriction bearings, antibacterial leather upholstery, and high-quality resin fiber loop mattresses and pillows that dissipate heat and moisture generated by the body during therapy. The newer low-pressure monoplace chambers are portable and less

**76**

**Figure 13.**

*The evolution of hyperbaric chambers.*

**Figure 15.** *Recompression chamber.*

**Figure 16.** *Multiplace HBOT chamber.*

**Figure 17.** *Hyperbaric operation suite.*

expensive. Operating between 1.2 and 1.3 ATA pressures, they are eminently suited for use in homes and spas and also find use to improve results after plastic surgery.

The earliest documentation of therapeutic use of HBOT in animals was in 1998. The Veterinary Hyperbaric Medicine Society was formed in 2006. Veterinaryspecific hyperbaric chambers are available.

The evolution of HBOT chambers over time is chronicled in **Figure 13**.

#### **Figure 18.**

*Hyperbaric operation suite. (Image courtesy: CONE Health Wound Care and Hyperbaric Center, Greensboro, North Carolina, USA).*
