Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Denied to Doctor, Embraced by Government

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Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Denied to Doctor, Embraced by Government

 

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" Dorothy Conforti had had a massive stroke. Her CAT scan showed

extensive brain damage. One side of her body was completely paralyzed

and she had no control over her bodily fluids or bowels. She could

barely see and was unable to communicate. She couldn't feed herself, and

she was close to death. Dr. Steenblock treated her in his hyperbaric

oxygen chamber for one hour every four hours and three hours of

chelation, around the clock. A follow up CAT scan showed the therapy

successfully restored 85 percent of the damage to her brain. Today, she

is back to normal.

Despite the enormous amount of testimonials from his patients, and

incredible successes like Dorothy's, establishment medicine was

threatened. Neurologists testified and told their patients that if it

was in fact a valid treatment, they would be using it. Dr. Steenblock

was savagely attacked with every slander and pressure they could bring

against him. "

 

 

By National Health Federation's President

 

Maureen Kennedy Salaman

 

June 2003

 

http://www.thenhf.com/articles_09.htm

 

 

 

Patty is in critical condition as the paramedics wheel her into the

emergency room. Relatives had pulled her out of her running car in a

closed garage and her doctors fear the worst. She is in a coma and her

CAT scan shows the carbon monoxide has caused extensive brain damage.

They have one trick up their sleeve: put her into the hospital's

hyperbaric oxygen chamber. In the chamber, Patty is given compressed,

richer oxygen that is expected to regenerate the portions of her damaged

brain. Hospital technicians explain that as the pressure in the chamber

increases, more oxygen is able to get to Patty's brain. Later, her

doctor proclaims that Patty is out of her coma and is showing remarkable

improvement. This is a true story that was documented by producers of

cable television's The Learning Channel, and aired as a segment of their

show, " Trauma, Life in the ER. "

 

Dedicated Physician Shut Down, Medical Successes Ignored

 

David A. Steenblock, M.S., D.O., was the first physician to establish a

comprehensive stroke and brain injury rehabilitation facility using HBO

therapy and other modalities, with the goal being to repair the damaged

brain from stroke and trauma. Practicing out of the Health Restoration

Medical Center in Mission Viejo, CA, the reward for his dedication has

been that he has been hounded, persecuted, his records confiscated, and

family members threatened as the FDA tried to keep him from using the

very therapy Charity Hospital in New Orleans now publicly utilizes on

national television!

 

Until Dr. Steenblock's remarkable work no one has paid attention to or

studied the repair of the damaged brain. Limbs and motor skills were

given extensive therapy, but establishment medicine has contemptuously

maintained the position that there was no reversing damage to the brain.

Despite their contentions, Doctor Steenblock's success with his patients

and his thriving practice demonstrated that brain damage can be

reversed, even after years of time.

 

He told me about one particularly profound case. Dorothy Conforti had

had a massive stroke. Her CAT scan showed extensive brain damage. One

side of her body was completely paralyzed and she had no control over

her bodily fluids or bowels. She could barely see and was unable to

communicate. She couldn't feed herself, and she was close to death. Dr.

Steenblock treated her in his hyperbaric oxygen chamber for one hour

every four hours and three hours of chelation, around the clock. A

follow up CAT scan showed the therapy successfully restored 85 percent

of the damage to her brain. Today, she is back to normal.

 

Despite the enormous amount of testimonials from his patients, and

incredible successes like Dorothy's, establishment medicine was

threatened. Neurologists testified and told their patients that if it

was in fact a valid treatment, they would be using it. Dr. Steenblock

was savagely attacked with every slander and pressure they could bring

against him.

 

In 1995, the Department of Consumer Affairs approached the National

Stroke Association (NSA). They said that hyperbaric oxygen was not only

unproven but potentially dangerous. They quoted three references from

1966 to prove their point. Using the NSA's contention, the California

FDA and the Department of Consumer Affairs issued a scathing report

condemning the use of hyperbaric oxygen for strokes.

 

Dr. Steenblock looked up their references and found they had nothing to

do with hyperbaric oxygen. Nothing. He sued the National Stroke

Association. Through utter chicanery, it never got to court. They said

it was opinion. The Department of Consumer Affairs used the National

Stroke Association's report to retaliate against Dr. Steenblock.

 

They raided Dr. Steenblock's practice, telling him that if he continued

to use his hyperbaric oxygen chambers they would enter his offices at

will, anytime they chose, bring bulldozers, drag the chambers out and

destroy them.

 

Led by the California FDA, the Department of Consumer Affairs made good

on their threat. On the day they raided his office, he had 21 feeble and

very sick patients waiting for treatments. The patients were absolutely

up in arms; extremely agitated as the government took away the only help

they could find. One became so stressed by the raid that he had a heart

attack and died on the spot. At the time, Dr. Steenblock had a doctor

assisting him. When the FDA told him they would conduct another raid

without notice, he resigned. No doctor will work with Dr. Steenblock

under the threat of losing his license to practice.

 

The government's action has cost Dr. Steenblock one of his practices. He

had one medical and one trauma and stroke. He has lost a million dollars

and counting. He is stuck with a lease that he is still paying to the

tune of a quarter of a million dollars on a medical clinic that he was

forced to shut down because the doctor who assisted him quit. His second

office is the stroke and trauma center, which is under constant threat.

At one time he owned a $450,000 lab, which was closed down by the

California FDA. As I write this, Dr. Steenblock, having run out of money

to pay attorneys to represent him, is representing himself against the

Bureau of Medical Quality Assurance board. This is his fourth hearing.

 

In the face of all this, I discovered that the Air Force is conducting

its own research on using hyperbaric oxygen as medical therapy. A

website (http://www.wpmc1.wpafb.af.mil/pages/hbo/hbo1.htm) from the

Wright Patterson Medical Center at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in

Ohio states their belief that it is a viable and successful therapy. It

states that their Department of Hyperbaric Medicine, 74th Medical Group,

is doing extensive research in the medical uses of HBO. One page of the

website proclaims:

 

 

" The Hyperbaric Medicine Flight team works to improve the health status

of our patients through quality hyperbaric medicine consultation and

care. We are dedicated to the advancement of the use of clinical

hyperbaric medicine through quality research and development of

equipment and practices.We are committed to enhancing the understanding

of this therapeutic modality through education of health care

professionals and the public. "

 

Just above a photo of their chief of medicine is a bold proclamation of

their goal:

 

" To be a leading authority for research, education, and applications of

hyperbaric technology and medicine. "

 

Dr. Steenblock has been doing just this for 11 years, under the most

adverse circumstances the government, financed by endless funds - ours,

could possibly create.

 

The government medical group's case reports include a 64-year-old

diabetic female whose wound infection would not have healed without HBO;

a 55-year-old female whose gangrene was completely healed after 37

treatments; and a 52-year-old male whose post-cancer surgery of the

mouth resulted in necrosis that was resolved after 91 treatments.

 

Recovering from Trauma

 

Despite the darkness thrown onto this dedicated pioneer, Dr. Steenblock,

the light of knowledge is reaching the world. The good news is that

hyperbaric oxygen, or HBO, is now being recognized as a valuable tool in

reversing the effects of trauma. Two factors are involved with HBO:

oxygen and pressure. The pressure helps reduce the dangerous swelling

that follows trauma to the body. If delivered soon after head or neck

injury, damage to the brain and spinal cord can be minimized. Because of

HBO's unique ability to deliver oxygen to the brain and other parts of

the body, to previously dormant cells, it can be used to minimize the

effects of strokes, gangrene, near drowning, extensive blood loss, near

hanging, crush injuries, electrocution, burns, edema and serious

infections. Anywhere there is a loss of oxygen to a part of the body

resulting in tissue damage, HBO can help. Based on what I've read, I

believe it is entirely possible that if actor Christopher Reeve had

received HBO therapy shortly after his horseback riding accident, he

would not have suffered such extensive paralysis.

 

Every medical trauma unit should have one, and a portable version should

be developed. Imagine! At the site of a car crash in which a victim has

been pinned inside the car; arms and legs deprived of blood and oxygen,

in danger of being amputated as a result, the paramedics can transport

him in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, delivering vital oxygen to those

limbs, probably saving them.

 

In an incredible testimonial to the power of hyperbaric oxygen therapy

to heal, a 40-year-old man whose brain was seriously injured in a car

crash was brought back to life after doctors had given up all hope. A

month in the hospital and after extensive tests, therapies and drugs,

the man still did not respond to commands or open his eyes

spontaneously. He was in a deep, deep coma, and doctors didn't know if

he would ever come out of it. When he was discharged from the hospital,

he required total life support. The doctors told his wife she should

place him in a nursing home since no further improvement could be made.

 

Not willing to give up, his wife tried hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Tests

before therapy showed extensive brain deficits. After only one

treatment, improvement was noted. By the 93rd treatment the man not only

had come out of his coma, but could walk, move his arms, understand what

was going on around him and speak well. After 188 treatments, tests

showed his brain was completely recovered. The man's doctors and

therapists were amazed.

 

A clinical psychologist testified, " During this time the patient has had

markedly dramatic improvement in many of his cognitive functions. He has

become ambulatory, acquired good communication skills with others again,

has become independent once more in his self-help skills, and regained

much of his short-term and long-term memory. He seems to have responded

to the hyperbaric oxygen treatment programs. "

 

Dr Steenblock conducted a study of his own results. It is most profound

because of the number of patients: 50, and the amount of time since

their strokes: average 28 months. It showed that no matter how long

since the traumatic event, hyperbaric oxygen therapy can still benefit

the patient.

 

He conducted the study with 50 " stable and no longer improving " stroke

patients, average age 62 years and, again, average time of 28 months

since their stroke. They received HBO therapy for 90 minutes each day,

six days a week for 60 treatments, as well as physical therapy for two

hours and EEG biofeedback for 30 minutes each day, five days a week.

Physical therapists' evaluations and patients' questionnaires were

collected prior to and after the program. The therapists' evaluation

included range of motion, strength of extremities, bed mobility, bed to

chair transfers and body's balance level. By the therapists'

evaluations, 100 percent of the patients showed improvements in one or

more functions. Of those, 18 percent had mild gain, 48 percent received

good gain and 34 percent had excellent gain.

 

Results from patients' questionnaires showed that 95.83 percent of the

patients or their family members believed that the patient experienced

one or more improvements in their motor ability, sensitivity to touch

and temperature, bladder and bowel control, cognition, memory, speech,

sight and hearing. At the conclusion of the program, 29 percent of the

patients ranked the program as good, 42 percent ranked it as excellent,

and 25 percent reported the program was stupendous.

 

The Reality of Strokes and Trauma to the Brain

 

What conventional medicine has failed to realize, and why it has so

stubbornly refused to acknowledge the possibility of stroke recovery, is

that strokes do not result in the death of brain cells. Dr. Steenblock

explains that the traditional concept of infarction, that the brain

tissue dies from a blood and oxygen shortage lasting more than a few

minutes, is no longer valid. Actually, the death of brain cells occurs

only when the flow of blood falls below a certain level (approximately

8-10 ml/100 gr./min.) while at slightly higher levels the tissue remains

alive but not able to function. Thus, in acute stroke the affected core

brain tissue may die while the more peripheral tissues remain alive for

many years after the initial insult. Those brain areas that are injured

and are not receiving enough blood flow as a result of stroke or trauma

are referred to as " ischemic penumbra, " " sleeping neurons, " or " dormant "

or " idling neurons. " These neurons are nonfunctional but anatomically

intact and can be regenerated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy, repairing

and generating new blood vessels to the injured parts of the brain. It

is this reality that allows the open minded physician to realize that

HBO can and does work!

 

Let Me Count The Ways

 

There are many ways in which HBO benefits the patient. It reduces edema

by about 50 percent. In acute burns it reduces fluid requirements by 35

percent in the first 24 hours. It reduces white cell adhesion to

capillary walls. In about 15 treatments, red blood cell flexibility is

doubled. White blood cell killing of aerobic bacteria and some fungi is

greatly enhanced at high oxygen pressures, helping to control

osteomyelitis and necrosis. Extremely important is its stimulation of

new capillary and collagen formation in radiated tissue, normalizing

tissue oxygen tensions to permit surgery, healing, and even bone

grafting. Finally, it increases tissue levels of superoxide dismutase,

which counters the formation of free radicals after injury, resulting in

better tissue survival.

 

The Committee on Hyperbaric Oxygenation of the Undersea and Hyperbaric

Medical Society (UHMS), which has cognizance over this field, currently

has approved 14 disorders for treatment in the chamber.

 

HBO was first used for gas gangrene by Brummelkamp in 1965 in Holland

and thousands of patients have been treated with HBO for this disorder

worldwide. The best evidence comes from a U.S. Air Force study carried

out by researchers at the School of Aerospace Medicine. They

demonstrated that if HBO is used for gangrene within 24 hours of the

time of diagnosis, the overall mortality rate, when combined with

surgery and antibiotics, is six percent. This is compared to a 14

percent mortality rate without HBO.

 

Entirely too common is the loss of limbs by the diabetic patient. Oriani

reported a 10-year experience that showed 80 percent salvage in a group

of diabetics suffering limb-threatening lesions that received HBO,

versus 40 percent in controls. Multiple other retrospective studies

involving approximately 500 patients have been consistent and indicate a

70-90 percent success rate, with success defined as the avoidance of

amputation and, in many cases, complete wound healing. Not uncommon is

an amputation rate of 12.5 percent in a treated group versus 40 percent

in a control group.

 

One of the biggest problems in treating gangrenous lesions is the

education of referring physicians. Surgeons tend to operate on their

patients before sending them for hyperbaric treatment. It is inadvisable

to put a patient on the operating table when he is in severe septic

shock and then to administer an anaesthetic while delaying hyperbaric

treatment. While the patient is in surgery, the organisms have several

hours to cause further deterioration. The surgery before hyperbaric

treatment severely compromises that patient's prognosis. Gangrene can

kill within six hours of diagnosis so a three hour delay while doing a

massive debridement is counterproductive. Re-education of surgeons in

this regard is urgently needed. When this knowledge permeates the

surgical community, patients will benefit greatly.

 

Hyperbaric oxygen is of value when blood transfusion cannot be carried

out. This situation occurs in Jehovah's Witnesses who refuse

transfusions or any form of blood product. Another rare situation is

where the patient has severe hemolysis and it is impossible to type and

cross match blood for transfusion.

 

HBO's ability to stimulate new capillary and collagen formation in the

skin means postoperative recovery can be enhanced. Whether by trauma,

illness or cosmetic surgery, postoperative patients can see faster

recovery times with less residual scarring.

 

Research has shown that survival can be more than doubled in severely

burned patients treated with hyperbaric oxygen compared with controls.

In a small series of severely burned patients, it was found that the

hospitalization costs were lessened by approximately $92,000 per patient

when hyperbaric oxygen was used. There also was less than half as much

grafting. There have been anecdotal reports showing dramatic relief of

sickle cell crisis with hyperbaric oxygen. Original work done at Duke

University showed that sickle cell forms of the erythrocyte were

markedly reduced under hyperbaric conditions.

 

There have been anecdotal reports of patients with cerebral abscess who

have recovered following HBO treatment. Prior to being placed in the

chamber, they were pursuing a downhill course and were nearly moribund.

Similarly, the Russians have done a study of peritoneal abscesses which

has shown enhanced survival in humans. There are also animal studies

which show hyperbaric oxygen to be of benefit.

 

One study found 20 patients with Bell's Palsy were cleared up in 15 days

or less with twice daily treatments at 2.8 atmospheres absolute (ATA)

for one hour. This rapid remission is unheard of in the usual clinical

case.

 

It has been found that in the case of leprosy, the Mycobacterium leprae

is sensitive to high partial pressures of oxygen. It has been reported

that six treatments carried out over a three-day period have produced

permanent remission. Since leprosy is a tremendous financial burden in

much of the world, further research must be carried out to bring

hyperbaric oxygen to the rescue in this disorder.

 

Dr. Steenblock sees HBO benefitting autistic children, by its ability to

repair damaged brain blood vessels, stimulate growth hormones, detoxify

and heal the damaged brain, pancreas and intestinal tissues and decrease

the hyperexciteability of these children. Treatments twice a day have

proven successful for the correction of chronic chemical allergies, as

well as patients suffering from multiple sclerosis, says Dr. Steenblock.

 

 

In 1971, Dr. George Hart published a case study in which a Naval Officer

partially paralyzed from a stroke showed good improvement after 15 HBO

sessions. This was followed by a month with no HBO, and no change in the

patient's condition. After the next series of HBO treatments, the

officer was able to return to full duty. His study of 40 stroke patients

after HBO therapy showed 27 percent experienced significant improvement,

53 percent had moderate improvement and 20 percent had no improvement.

Dr. Steenblock has seen improvement in stroke patients who have been

paralyzed for as long as 15 years.

 

It should be obvious by now that establishing HBO therapy for early

trauma treatment and recovery should made a priority in every trauma

unit and hospital as soon as possible. The evidence is irrefutable that

HBO has the potential to not only allow us to recover from trauma with

few lasting effects, but reverse disabilities and help us live our lives

again free from their constraints. It is with great satisfaction,

especially now that I've seen the remarkable benefits of HBO therapy for

myself, that I am witness to this explosion of research and

acknowledgement that it is a credible, valuable and attainable medical

therapy.

 

I urge you to write the health committee and Bureau of Medical Quality

Assurance. Send this article to friends and loved ones who might benefit

from Dr. Steenblock's modalities. Politicians don't see the light, they

feel the heat. Send this article to your congressman and senators and

state legislators. Tell them we want the freedom to choose to save our

own lives.

 

REFERENCES

 

" Adjunctive Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Reduced Length of Hospitalization

in Thermal Burns, " Cianci P., et al, Journal of Burn Care &

Rehabilitation, v. 19, p. 432-435, 1989.

 

" Autism Due to Stress and Mineral Deficiencies, " Steenblock, David. A.,

M.S., D.O., Health Restoration Medical Center press release, 1999.

 

" Blood Cell Deformability and Hyperbaric Oxygen, " Mathieu D, et al, Med

Subaquatique Hyperbar, v. 3, p. 100-104, 1984.

 

" Chronic Non-hematogenous Osteomyelitis Treated with Adjuvant Hyperbaric

Oxygen, " Davis, J. C., et al, Journal Bone Joint Surg., v. 68, p.

1210-1217, 1986

 

" Clinical Hyperbaric Medicine, " Kindwall, M.D., Eric P.,

http://www.etcusa.com/clinical.htm.

 

Diabetes Spectrum, v. 10, n. 2, p. 118-123, 1997.

 

" Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen on Post-bur Plasma Extravasation, " Wells

C.H., Hinton, J. G., In: " Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, " Davis, J. C.,

Hunt, T. K., editors, Undersea Medical Society, Bethesda, MD., p.

259-265, 1977.

 

" Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen on Oedema Formation After a Scald Burn, "

Nylander G., et al, Burns, v. 10, p. 193-196, 1984.

 

" Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen on Adenosine Triphosphate in Thermally

Injured Skin, " Stewart R. J., et al, Surgical Forum, v. 39, p. 87-90,

1988.

 

" Gas Gangrene: Review and Update, " Heimbach, R.D., HBO Review, v. 1, p.

41-61, 1980.

 

" Hyperbaric Oxygen For the Treatment of Closed Head Injury, " Neubauer,

Richard A., M.D., Southern Medical Journal, v. 87, n. 9, p. 933-936,

September 1994.

 

" Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Necrotising Fasciitis Reduced Mortality

and the Need for Debridements, " Riseman, J. A., et al, Surgery, v. 108,

p. 847-50, 1990.

 

" Hyperbaric Oxygen for Treatment of Stroke and Traumatic Brain

Injuries, " Steenblock, David A., Journal of Naturopathic Medicine, v. 8,

n. 1, p. 61-67.

 

" Hyperbaric Oxygen in the Treatment of Bell's Palsy, " Racic, G.P., et

al, Proceedings of the Annual Scientific Meeting of the European

Undersea and Biomedical Society, Gothenberg, 1985.

 

" Metabolic Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen in Post-ischemic Muscle, "

Nylander G, et al., Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, v. 79, p. 91-96,

1987.

 

" Morphological Analysis of the Microcirculation During Reperfusion of

Ischemic Skeletal Muscle and the Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen, " Zamboni

W. A., et al, Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, p. 1110-1123, 1993.

 

" Oxygen Therapy and Diabetic Gangrene: a Review of 10 Year's

experience, " Oriani G., et al, Proceedings of the Joint Meeting on

Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine.

 

" Problem Wounds in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: The Role of

Hyperbaric Oxygen, " Marx, R. E., et al. In: Davis, J. C. , Hunt, T. K.,

editors, " Problem Wounds: the Role of Oxygen, " Elsevier Science

Publishing, New York, p. 65-125, 1988.

 

 

 

 

 

Posted at October 26, 2004 05:40 PM | TrackBack

 

 

 

 

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Readers' Comments

 

 

See also: Oxidative Therapies

 

Posted by: Chris Gupta on October 28, 2004 05:32 PM

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, our medical establishment is ignorant, having received

minimal (as in minutes) of introduction to HBOT. What one does not know,

one fears.

My grandson had an hypoxic birth, with his mother dying shortly

thereafter. He has Cerebral Palsy as a result of this lack of oxygen. He

has had 96 HBOT treatments and is greatly improved. I believe if he had

been treated with HBOT at birth, we would not be seeing the symptoms of

CP.

At one point, when we were first seeking treatment, a young man brought

his 55yr old mother for treatment. She had sustained massive head

injuries in January due to a car accident. She was eventually left with

a diagnosis of persistent vegetative state. Four months later she

received HBOT and after 20sessions was walking and talking coherently.

She was featured in the Toledo Blade, Mothers Day 2003.

HBOT is the standard of care in all continents except the USA. And we

are the smartest, greatest, most technological,etc.? How?

We are truly behind the times.

 

Posted by: Judith Burkholder BS, RN on November 23, 2004 12:41 AM

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