* * Anonymous Doc: Hyperbolic Chambers

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Hyperbolic Chambers

"...so I notice you still have your foot.  That's great."

"Yeah, the surgeon really wants to amputate, but a friend told me something about a hyperbolic chamber, so I think I'm going to try that first."

"You mean a hyperbaric chamber."

"Whatever, yeah, I guess.  They're good, right?"

"Honestly, I don't know a lot about hyperbaric chambers, and certainly I don't know the specifics about whether that's a reasonable plan for your foot.  I'd listen to what Dr. Surgeon says.  That's his expertise."

"He says he wants to amputate, or I could die of a septum infection."

"A septic infection."

"Yeah, yeah.  But I'm going to try this hyperbolic chamber thing.  Cause, you know, if I don't, I'd always wonder what if I could have saved my foot."

"Again, that's something to talk to Dr. Surgeon about."

"No, my friend got totally healed from the chamber thing.  He had this burn on his skin, and it was like a miracle."

"Okay.  Your issue is different from a burn.  You have a wound that isn't healing because of a lack of blood flow."

"Sure, but if it can do one thing, it can probably do lots of things."

"I don't know what it can or can't do, but, generally, that logic doesn't really work.  Some treatments are very good at very specific things, and not good at all at things that are not the same."

"No, if something works, it works."

"Well, like, you wouldn't take medicine that's great at treating infections if you had, say, high cholesterol."

"Why not?"

"Because different medicines do different things."

"No, no, if it's good, it's good.  And I'm telling you, you didn't see my friend, the hyperbolic chamber is an amazing thing."

"Hyperbaric chamber.  And I think you're being a little hyperbolic when you talk about it."

"What?"

"I was just trying to be funny.  Never mind."

"I don't get it.  You're not funny, doc."

"Yeah, don't worry about it.  Just, please, talk to your surgeon and make sure he's on the same page.  Septic infections are a real risk."

"I'm telling you, the chamber is going to heal this thing up.  Maybe fix my blood pressure too.  The oxygen, pressure, I think it's all related."

"It's good to be optimistic.  Make an appointment for six weeks and we'll see how you're doing."

8 comments:

  1. Next time I break a bone, I'll just take more Adderall. Good is good.

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  2. Why not refer him to a podiatrist?

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  3. This really happened? Wow. If he wasn't so dangerous to himself, this would be funny.

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  4. You ARE funny doc, just a bit too smartified for him that time.

    "Oxygen, pressure, it's all related". Priceless.

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  5. Ha ha! Did you really tell him he was being a bit hyperbolic?

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  6. Honestly, it might work. It usually does especially for these "slightly clueless to the true serious nature of their illness" types. Then he'll be telling everyone to do it.

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  7. The hyperbaric treatment is really good for diabetic non-healing wounds, so if that is his problem, he will probably benefit.

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  8. Recent research from UPenn published in Diabetes Care shows no benefit in diabetic foot ulcers. Don't know the specific strengths or weaknesses of the study though.

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