Chapter 4 · Clinical Applications

Case Studies and Patient Stories

Twenty-four documented cases — from the rescue of Baby Jessica McClure to the recovery of NFL legend Joe Namath, from blast-injured veterans to the near-drowned toddler whose pediatric brain damage was reversed.

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Cited research, not medical advice. This is an educational compilation for reference and study. Prestige Hyperbaric is a wellness center, not a medical facility, and does not diagnose or treat any condition. The inclusion of a topic, study, or case does not constitute a recommendation. Always consult a qualified, licensed medical professional before considering hyperbaric therapy.

Sourcing transparency key:

- Peer-reviewed / journal-documented — Published in a peer-reviewed journal with DOI; case reports, RCTs, or controlled trials

- News / mainstream media-reported — Reported by major outlets (AP, CNN, ESPN, UPI, LA Times, CBS, USA Today, etc.)

- Clinic case report / patient-reported — Published by a treating clinic, hospital system, or patient testimonial; not independently peer-reviewed

- ️ Note on scientific debate — Where the evidence base is contested or contradicted by controlled trials, this is flagged explicitly

Introduction

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) — breathing 100% pure oxygen inside a pressurized chamber at 1.5–3.0 atmospheres absolute (ATA) — has a documented history spanning from its origins in treating decompression sickness to a growing portfolio of peer-reviewed applications. The U.S. FDA has approved HBOT for 14 specific indications, including carbon monoxide poisoning, crush injuries, necrotizing soft tissue infections, delayed radiation injury, compromised grafts and flaps, and, most recently, idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss.

What follows is a curated collection of 20+ case studies spanning those approved indications and several off-label applications currently under active investigation. Cases are drawn from peer-reviewed journals, mainstream news archives, and clinic-reported patient stories — each labeled transparently for source type.

Part I: The Cases That Put HBOT on the Map

Case 1 — Baby Jessica McClure, Age 18 Months

Condition: Crush/ischemic injury to right foot and lower extremity; severe circulatory compromise; gangrene risk

What conventional medicine faced: After 58 hours trapped in a narrow 22-foot well shaft in Midland, Texas, with her right leg forced upward against her head, Jessica's right foot had lost nearly all circulation. Surgeons feared irreversible gangrene and probable amputation. A fasciotomy (three incisions to relieve swelling) was performed immediately after rescue on October 16, 1987, but the outcome remained uncertain.

HBOT Protocol: Sessions at Midland Community Hospital began the night of her rescue. The first treatment lasted 90 minutes in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber. Subsequent sessions continued over several days. Specific ATA was not published in any peer-reviewed journal, but contemporary news accounts document multiple daily sessions consistent with a wound-ischemia protocol.

Outcome: Within hours of the first session, hospital spokeswoman Sue Riston reported that "her toes are still pinker." By the end of the treatment course, circulation was sufficiently restored to save the foot. Jessica ultimately lost only the small toe on her right foot — not the foot itself. She required 15 surgeries over several years. A 1987 letter to the New York Times from medical professionals specifically credited "the prompt availability and application of hyperbaric oxygen" as central to the near-complete success of her recovery.

Source type: News-reported with professional medical commentary

Citations:

Case 2 — Stroke Recovery: Britney (Last Name Withheld), Age ~19

Condition: Ischemic stroke at a young age; wheelchair-bound, unable to walk, vision loss on right side

What conventional medicine faced: Standard post-stroke rehabilitation had reached a plateau. Britney could not walk independently and had significant vision and motor deficits when she was brought by wheelchair to UAB (University of Alabama at Birmingham) Medicine's hyperbaric unit in summer 2022.

HBOT Protocol: 120 sessions of HBOT at UAB Medicine's hyperbaric medicine program, beginning summer 2022, completed September 2023. Protocol consistent with stroke neuroplasticity studies (2.0 ATA, 60–90 min per session).

Outcome: "When we first began her treatments, I was bringing her in a wheelchair because she couldn't walk, and she couldn't see on her right side due to the stroke," recalled her mother Melinda. "Today she's walking to these appointments. Her gait has improved and her legs are stronger. She's seeing color and her vision has improved." Dr. Keith Kelly of UAB commented: "Prior to treatment, she was not walking or talking. Now she's doing both. This treatment is really remarkable." Britney's stated goals include returning to dancing and obtaining her driver's license.

Source type: Hospital-published patient story

Citation:

Case 3 — The Efrati/Sagol Study: 74 Chronic Stroke Patients

Patient cohort: 74 adults, ages not individually specified, all with measurable neurological deficits from strokes that occurred 6–36 months prior

Condition: Chronic-stage stroke with motor dysfunction; all had plateaued in standard rehabilitation

What conventional medicine faced: Conventional rehabilitation is typically abandoned after 3–6 months, as neurological recovery is presumed complete. These patients had stable but persistent deficits.

HBOT Protocol: 40 sessions, 5 days per week for 2 months. Each session: 90 minutes at 2.0 ATA, 100% oxygen. Treated group vs. crossover control (no treatment for 2 months, then HBOT).

Outcome: Statistically significant improvements in NIHSS neurological scores and ADL (activities of daily living) following HBOT in both groups, while no improvement occurred during the control (no-treatment) period. SPECT brain imaging showed reactivated blood flow in previously "stunned" penumbral regions — live but dormant tissue. One published case vignette describes a patient with right hemiparesis from a stroke 14 months prior: pre-HBOT, she could not perform housework; post-HBOT, she could hold her arm and leg against gravity, move fingers, and was independent in bathing, dressing, shopping and cooking. The study was conducted by Dr. Shai Efrati and colleagues at the Sagol Center for Hyperbaric Medicine and Research, Tel Aviv University.

Source type: Peer-reviewed / journal-documented

Citation:

Part II: TBI, Concussion, and Brain Injury

Case 4 — Joe Namath, NFL Hall of Famer, Age ~69 (at start of treatment)

Condition: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) from career concussions; cognitive decline, low blood flow to left temporal brain region on SPECT imaging

What conventional medicine faced: Namath had sustained at least five confirmed concussions during his NFL career, including multiple occasions where he "was knocked out cold with no treatment except smelling salts." By 2012, SPECT scans conducted at Jupiter Medical Center, Florida, revealed that "the left side of his head from the forehead back were not getting blood. They were darker than the rest of the other cells."

HBOT Protocol: August 2012 – March 2013 (approximately 7 months): 120 sessions at Jupiter Medical Center, one hour per day, five days per week. Treating physicians: Dr. Lee Andrew Fox and Dr. Barry Miskin. Protocol: pressurized oxygen chamber; approximate protocol 1.5–2.0 ATA based on clinic records. Repeated SPECT imaging at 40-session intervals.

Outcome: After 40 dives, follow-up SPECT scans showed the previously dark regions "bright and symmetrical." After the full 120 sessions, "my brain showed a full blood flow and is working once again the way it should be," Namath stated publicly. Cognitive testing also improved at each 40-session interval. Annual SPECT scans from 2013 onward continued to show healthy brain activity. Namath subsequently founded the Joe Namath Neurological Research Center at Jupiter Medical Center to fund an FDA-approved clinical trial of 100 TBI patients.

️ Scientific context: Three Army-sponsored double-blind RCTs (published in JAMA and related journals, 2014–2015) found no benefit of HBOT over sham compression in military personnel with mild TBI symptoms — a finding that remains contested in the field. Namath's case relied on SPECT imaging, which mainstream neuroradiology does not accept as a validated surrogate for clinical improvement. His recovery may involve placebo effects, natural history, or lifestyle changes concurrent with treatment. However, the SPECT changes and subjective cognitive improvements are documented.

Source type: News-reported / Clinic-reported (SPECT data from treating physicians)

Citations:

Case 5 — U.S. Veterans with Blast TBI/PTSD: Harch Phase I Trial (2011)

Patient cohort: 16 U.S. military servicemen with blast-induced mild-to-moderate TBI and post-concussion syndrome (PCS); 15 of 16 also had PTSD. Average age: ~30 years. Average time post-injury: ~2.6 years.

Condition: Chronic blast-induced post-concussion syndrome and PTSD; symptoms included memory loss, headaches, cognitive fog, emotional dysregulation, sleep disturbance

What conventional medicine faced: Standard psychiatric and neurological treatment had failed to restore function. These were veterans injured 1–4+ years prior, with no further improvement expected by conventional means.

HBOT Protocol: 40 sessions of 1.5 ATA, 100% oxygen, 60 minutes per session, over 30 days (approximately 5 sessions per week). Conducted under Dr. Paul Harch, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans.

Outcome: Significant improvements in memory, executive function, and quality of life. Mean PTSD Checklist-Military (PCL-M) scores fell from 67.4 ± 10.5 to 47.1 ± 16 (p < 0.001). SPECT brain imaging showed improved blood flow in affected regions. One veteran, Edward Lucarini, who suffered a blast TBI in Iraq in April 2003, stated: "Literally, during the first two hyperbaric oxygen therapy treatments, I found parts of my brain waking up and the fogginess becoming less intrusive." Dr. Harch concluded: "The magnitude of the improvements in memory, executive function, functional brain imaging, and quality of life, as well as reduction in concussion and PTSD symptoms cannot be explained with a placebo effect."

️ Scientific context: This was an uncontrolled Phase I safety/efficacy pilot study. Subsequent double-blind RCTs sponsored by the DOD (including the HOPPS trial, Miller et al. 2015, and BIMA trial, Deru et al. 2018) showed mixed results — with some showing improvements in both HBOT and sham groups (suggesting a pressure effect of room air) and others showing statistically significant benefit for HBOT over sham. As of 2025, DOD considers the evidence insufficient to mandate HBOT for TBI in active-duty personnel but continues to fund research.

Source type: Peer-reviewed / journal-documented

Citations:

Case 6 — Eden Carlson, Age 2 (Near-Drowning, Anoxic Brain Injury)

Condition: Cardiac arrest following cold-water drowning; global anoxic brain injury with gray matter and white matter loss on MRI; non-responsive at hospital discharge

What conventional medicine faced: On February 29, 2016, Eden Carlson of Arkansas fell through a baby gate into her family's swimming pool. She spent at least 10 minutes underwater and required over 100 minutes of CPR and 17 shots of epinephrine before regaining spontaneous heartbeat. MRI at 3 days post-drowning showed thalamic injury; MRI at 31 days showed generalized cerebral atrophy with gray and white matter loss. At 48 days, Eden was discharged from Arkansas Children's Hospital unable to speak, walk, or respond to commands, with constant squirming and her legs drawn to her chest. Prognosis: vegetative state for life.

HBOT Protocol:

Outcome: MRI at 27 days after the 40th HBOT session (162 days post-drowning) showed near-complete reversal of cortical and white matter atrophy — a result described by Dr. Harch as "unprecedented." Brain volume had regrown. Video documentation of Eden walking and speaking was made publicly available.

Source type: Peer-reviewed / journal-documented (single case report)

Citations:

Part III: Long COVID and Post-Viral Syndromes

Case 7 — Hadanny et al. Long COVID RCT (2022/2024 Long-Term Follow-Up)

Patient cohort: 73 long COVID patients (37 HBOT, 36 sham) in original RCT; 31 HBOT patients followed long-term. All had reported post-COVID-19 cognitive symptoms persisting more than 3 months after confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection. Mean time from infection: 486 ± 73 days before follow-up.

Condition: Long COVID / post-COVID condition with cognitive impairment, fatigue, sleep disruption, pain, and psychiatric symptoms

What conventional medicine faced: No approved pharmacological treatment existed for long COVID. Patients had persistent, disabling symptoms affecting ability to work and carry out daily activities.

HBOT Protocol: 40 daily sessions of HBOT. The protocol used at Shamir Medical Center (Israel) / Aviv Clinics deliberate fluctuating hyperoxia. Specific parameters consistent with Efrati lab protocols (approximately 2.0 ATA, 90 min per session, with oxygen cycling to trigger hypoxia-inducible gene signaling).

Outcome (short-term): Significant improvements vs. sham in cognitive function, fatigue, sleep quality, pain severity, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Large effect sizes (BSI-18 total score effect size 0.81).

Outcome (long-term, 1-year follow-up): 31 patients evaluated an average of 486 days after the last HBOT session. Quality of life, sleep quality (effect sizes 0.47–0.79), neuropsychiatric symptoms, pain severity (effect size 0.69), and pain interference (effect size 0.83) all showed persistent improvement — with long-term effect sizes mirroring short-term outcomes. The improvements were durable more than a year after treatment ended.

Source type: Peer-reviewed / journal-documented (RCT + longitudinal follow-up)

Citations:

Case 8 — van Berkel et al. Dutch Long COVID Registry (2025)

Patient cohort: 232 long COVID patients across 6 Dutch hyperbaric centers. Mean symptom duration: ~20 months. 43% unable to work at baseline.

Condition: Persistent post-COVID symptoms with prominent cognitive complaints; most had not been hospitalized for acute COVID infection

HBOT Protocol: 40 daily sessions at 2.4–2.5 ATA, 90–110 minutes per session, with 5-minute air breaks every 20 minutes. 5 days per week over 8 weeks. 100% oxygen via mask or hood in multiplace chambers.

Outcome at 3-month follow-up: 56–63% of patients showed a clinically relevant improvement (≥10-point increase) in SF-36 mental and/or physical component scores. Cognitive symptoms showed the greatest improvement. Ability to work improved in a substantial proportion. However, 13–19% of patients experienced significant deterioration in quality-of-life measures — a meaningful safety signal requiring monitoring.

Source type: Peer-reviewed / journal-documented (prospective registry; no control group)

️ Limitation: The absence of a control group means natural recovery cannot be distinguished from treatment effect. The ~15% who worsened highlights the need for patient selection and cautious protocols.

Citation:

Part IV: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Case 9 — A 27-Year-Old Scholar: Late-Phase CO Poisoning Recovery

Patient: Male, age 27

Condition: Severe CO poisoning (carboxyhemoglobin = 31.7%); developed delayed neurological sequelae (DNS) including chorea, Parkinsonism, dystonia, memory loss, and verbal fluency loss — leaving him disabled

What conventional medicine faced: Five acute HBOT sessions were administered immediately after the poisoning event. After discharge, DNS developed: the patient could no longer drive or work. His neurological condition plateaued and he was considered chronically disabled. The prevailing view was that HBOT has no role in the chronic phase of CO brain injury.

HBOT Protocol (late phase): 100 sessions at 2.4 ATA, 90 minutes each, with air breaks. Initiated 14 months after the original CO exposure. Progress was evaluated via neuropsychological testing after every 20 sessions.

Outcome:

Source type: Peer-reviewed / journal-documented (case report, UHMS Journal)

Citation:

Case 10 — 82-Year-Old Woman: Single-Session CO Recovery

Patient: Female, age 82

Condition: Severe carbon monoxide poisoning; neurological impairment not responding to conventional high-flow oxygen

What conventional medicine faced: Initial treatment with high-concentration normobaric oxygen lowered carboxyhemoglobin levels but produced no significant neurological improvement.

HBOT Protocol: Single session at 2.5 ATA, 100% oxygen

Outcome: Following a single HBOT session, the patient demonstrated "considerable neurological improvement with full recovery of consciousness and communication abilities." She was discharged in good health with no neurological or cognitive complications at follow-up. This was reported as the first documented HBOT case of its kind in Oman (Sultan Qaboos University Hospital).

Source type: Peer-reviewed / journal-documented (case report, published 2026)

Citation:

Part V: Diabetic Wounds and Limb Salvage

Case 11 — Mary-Sarah Proctor: Middle School Teacher Saves Her Foot

Patient: Mary-Sarah Proctor, middle school teacher

Condition: Diabetic foot ulcer with deep infection unresponsive to standard wound care; amputation imminent

What conventional medicine faced: Standard wound care, antibiotics, and debridement had failed to achieve healing. Amputation was being discussed.

HBOT Protocol: Individualized HBOT course at MedStar Health hyperbaric medicine program (specific ATA/session count not published in the public case summary)

Outcome: Complete healing without amputation. Mary-Sarah returned to her classroom fully healed.

Source type: Hospital-published patient story

Citation:

Supporting evidence context: A 2024 meta-analysis of 29 RCTs (n=1,764 patients) published in PMC found HBOT reduced amputation rates from 45% (conventional) to 26% (HBOT) in patients with diabetic foot ulcers (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.18–0.95). Healing rates were also significantly improved. A 2013 retrospective study using Medicare data (n=6,259) found the opposite — though critics note those patients had more severe disease at baseline, confounding the results.

Citation:

Part VI: Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections

Case 12 — Aimee Copeland, Age 24: Necrotizing Fasciitis Survivor (2012)

Patient: Aimee Copeland, University of West Georgia graduate student

Condition: Type II necrotizing fasciitis (flesh-eating bacteria, Aeromonas hydrophila) contracted from a laceration during a zip-lining accident on the Little Tallapoosa River, Georgia, May 2012

What conventional medicine faced: Emergency surgery at Tanner Medical Center, then airlift to JMS Burn Center in Augusta. Despite aggressive debridement and antibiotics, the infection spread explosively. Copeland survived, but surgeons were forced to amputate both hands, both feet, and her left leg.

HBOT and outcome context: Copeland's case is presented here not as an HBOT success in the sense of limb salvage, but as a survival case that underscores HBOT's documented mortality-reduction role in NSTI. A 2004 JAMA Surgery study (Riseman et al.) found HBOT increased survival odds by a factor of 8.9 (OR 8.9, 95% CI 1.3–58.0) and significantly reduced amputation rates in extremity-involved NSTI cases. For limb-involved NSTI, HBOT reduced amputation incidence (p=0.05). Copeland survived against slim odds; whether HBOT was administered is not documented in available public sources.

HBOT NSTI limb-salvage case (peer-reviewed): A 2024 PMC case report describes a patient with extensive NSTI of a limb complicated by multi-drug-resistant bacteria — a case standard treatment alone could not resolve. HBOT initiated on hospital day 37 led to dramatic wound improvement, successful skin grafting, and complete limb preservation, with the patient returning to pre-admission daily activities.

Source type: News-reported (Copeland); Peer-reviewed (NSTI HBOT data)

Citations:

Part VII: Radiation Injury Reversal

Case 13 — Stephan Tschida, Age 68: Radiation Cystitis / Delayed Radiation Effects

Patient: Stephan Tschida, 68-year-old male

Condition: Delayed radiation side effects following prostate cancer treatment

What conventional medicine faced: Radiation-induced tissue damage to the pelvic region; symptoms including hematuria and chronic pain that standard urological management could not resolve.

HBOT Protocol and Outcome: Received an individualized HBOT course at Hyperbaric Medical Solutions. Patient experienced a "remarkable recovery" from his delayed radiation effects, with resolution of symptoms documented by the treating clinic.

Source type: Clinic case report

Citation:

Supporting evidence context — Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) of the Jaw: A 2013 retrospective study of 33 patients with mandibular ORN (head and neck cancer survivors) treated with HBOT at 2.4 ATA for 90 min, up to 30 sessions found:

A 2025 systematic review of 17 studies (640 HNC patients) found positive outcomes in 14 of 17 studies, with significant results in most ORN investigations.

Citations:

Part VIII: Decompression Sickness

Case 14 — Scott Begnoche: 53 Hours in the Chamber (2014)

Patient: Scott Begnoche, semi-retired environmental manager and university lecturer

Condition: Severe decompression sickness (DCS) with neurological and spinal involvement after ascending too rapidly from a shipwreck dive off Grand Marais, Michigan, September 18, 2014

What conventional medicine faced: Nitrogen bubbles formed in the bloodstream, cutting off blood supply to the spinal cord. He lost control of both arms and legs. The ascent was so rapid that normal DCS protocols were insufficient.

HBOT Protocol: A rare protocol from the U.S. Navy Diving Manual requiring simulation to 165 feet of pressure (near the chamber's maximum limit of 175 feet). Begnoche and a nurse spent a record 53 consecutive hours in the hyperbaric chamber at Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), Minneapolis. Medical director Dr. Chris Logue: "Most people die. They never make it to treatment."

Outcome: Within the chamber, the nurse noticed "immediate movement in his arms when the chamber reached maximum depth." Concerns about lung function were resolved. Upper body strength returned. Whether he fully recovered leg function was uncertain at the time of reporting, but the therapy succeeded in preventing a fatal or catastrophic outcome.

Source type: News-reported

Citation:

Case 15 — Malik Altoos: In-Flight Decompression Sickness Emergency (2019)

Patient: Malik Altoos, newlywed scuba diver

Condition: Decompression sickness (the bends) on a flight from Cancún to Denver after scuba diving during honeymoon

What happened: "Within 10 minutes he was looking and feeling better" after the first HBOT session at Texas Health Dallas. Altoos had three treatments over three days and made a full recovery.

Source type: Hospital-published patient story

Citation:

Part IX: Pediatric Brain Injury

Case 16 — Cerebral Palsy: The McGill Randomized Trial (2001) and Its Controversy

Patient cohort: 111 children with cerebral palsy, ages 3–12, randomized: 57 to HBOT (1.75 ATA, 100% O2), 54 to pressurized air (1.3 ATA, room air), 40 sessions over 2 months.

Outcome: Both groups improved significantly in gross motor function, speech, attention, and memory — but there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (p = 0.544 for gross motor function).

The controversy: HBOT advocates, including Dr. Pierre Marois (one of the study co-authors), subsequently argued that the 1.3 ATA pressurized air "sham" group was not a true placebo — because 1.3 ATA is itself above atmospheric pressure and may have therapeutic effects. UHMS formally defines HBOT as requiring at least 1.4 ATA of oxygen; the control group received 1.3 ATA of air, which could theoretically be an active low-dose treatment. This means the trial may have been comparing two active treatments rather than HBOT vs. placebo, explaining why both groups improved substantially. Parent and caregiver reports across multiple studies are consistently positive — a 2014 study of 150 CP children found significantly better GMFM improvements in HBOT groups vs. standard rehabilitation alone.

Source type: Peer-reviewed / journal-documented (RCT, disputed interpretation)

Citations:

Part X: Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss

Case 17 — "Kathy": Full Hearing Restoration After Sudden Deafness

Patient: Kathy (full name withheld), age 39, female

Condition: Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL) in right ear — 60–80 dB loss across all frequencies. Accompanied by ear fullness and tinnitus severe enough to disrupt sleep. Onset 9 days before treatment. Diagnosed with myasthenia gravis (underlying condition).

What conventional medicine provided: Oral high-dose steroids prescribed by ENT; partial improvement at best expected given severity.

HBOT Protocol: 20 sessions at 2.4 ATA, 90 minutes per session, with three 5-minute air breaks. Patient discontinued after 15 sessions due to complete recovery.

Outcome: 100% improvement in hearing on the right side, confirmed by post-treatment audiogram. Complete resolution of ear fullness and tinnitus. "She is thrilled with the improvement."

Source type: Clinic case report

Citation:

Supporting evidence context: HBOT is now FDA-approved for SSNHL. A 2022 JAMA Otolaryngology meta-analysis of 3 RCTs (n=150) found HBOT significantly outperformed steroid-only treatment: mean hearing gain 10.3 dB greater in HBOT group (95% CI 6.5–14.1 dB), and odds of hearing recovery 4.3× higher (95% CI 1.6–11.7). 74.7% of HBOT patients achieved hearing recovery vs. 60.8% in controls.

Citation:

Part XI: Sports Injuries and Concussion in Athletes

Case 18 — Terrell Owens: Broken Fibula, Super Bowl XXXIX (2005)

Patient: Terrell Owens, NFL wide receiver, Philadelphia Eagles

Condition: Severely fractured fibula and critical ligament tear in right ankle from a horse-collar tackle, December 19, 2004. Required surgery (metal plate and screws). Surgeon Dr. Mark Meyerson did not clear Owens to play. Medical consensus: 10 weeks minimum recovery; season over.

HBOT Protocol: Owens used a personal hyperbaric chamber at home during his intensive accelerated rehabilitation, multiple sessions per week, as part of a program combining pool workouts, physical therapy, and HBOT. "Multiple sessions in a hyperbaric chamber to replenish his body's oxygen" are specifically documented.

Outcome: Seven weeks after surgery, Owens played in Super Bowl XXXIX on February 6, 2005 — catching nine passes for 122 yards in 62 of 72 offensive snaps. ESPN described it as "the greatest recovery from an injury in 39 years of the Super Bowl." The NFL community was stunned. X-rays taken just 8 days post-surgery already showed accelerated bone healing.

Legacy: Owens' case became a reference point for subsequent athletes. In 2024, Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews publicly discussed using HBOT after his own fibula fracture, citing the T.O. precedent.

Source type: News-reported

Citations:

Case 19 — 23-Year-Old Multi-Sport Athlete: Post-Concussion Syndrome

Patient: Anonymous male, age 23

Condition: Multiple concussions and TBIs from football and lacrosse; most recent TBI in 2019. Persistent symptoms: recurrent headaches, light sensitivity, brain fog, tinnitus, short-term memory loss, scotomas (blind spots).

HBOT Protocol: Hard chamber at 2.0 ATA, 90 minutes per session, 40 sessions total over approximately 8 weeks.

Outcome: "Noticeable improvement in fatigue, frequency and intensity of headaches, and memory loss." Reported increase in energy. Significantly reduced headache frequency.

Source type: Clinic case report

Citation:

Part XII: Autism Spectrum Disorder

Case 20 — Dr. Rossignol's Retrospective Case Series (2006) and Parent Testimonials

Patient cohort: Original series: 6 autistic children treated with low-pressure HBOT (1.3 ATA, room air). Subsequent 2009 RCT by Rossignol et al.: 62 children with ASD, ages 2–7 years, randomized to 1.3 ATA/24% O2 vs. slightly pressurized room air.

Condition: Autism Spectrum Disorder with varying degrees of speech delay, social impairment, and sensory processing difficulties

Rationale: Dr. Daniel Rossignol (Blue Ridge Medical Center, University of Virginia) theorized that ASD involves cerebral hypoperfusion (reduced blood flow), neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress — conditions that HBOT directly addresses.

HBOT Protocol: 1.3 ATA, 24% oxygen, 40 one-hour sessions (original and RCT protocols)

Outcome (2009 RCT): The HBOT group showed statistically significant improvements vs. controls in overall functioning, receptive language, social interaction, eye contact, and sensory/cognitive awareness (p < 0.05 for multiple measures). The control (pressurized air) group also improved, but less so.

Parent testimonials from 2024 clinic study (31 children/adults, Oxford Center): 87%+ of parent/caregiver ratings indicated "Somewhat improved" or "Much improved" across four independent raters. Selected vignettes:

️ Scientific context: HBOT is not FDA-approved for autism. The field has conflicting results, and the 2009 Rossignol RCT used a low-dose (1.3 ATA) protocol that some consider near-placebo pressure. Parent-reported outcomes are subject to expectation bias. These cases are presented as patient-reported / clinic-documented, not as established efficacy evidence.

Source type: Peer-reviewed (RCT, with caveats) + Clinic-reported (testimonials)

Citations:

Part XIII: Wound Healing — Burns, Grafts, and Crush Injuries

Case 21 — Burn Patient with Neuropathy and Brain Fog

Patient: Male, specific age not published

Condition: Severe burns complicated by neuropathy (nerve pain in legs), brain fog, and cognitive difficulties from burn-related injury

What conventional medicine faced: Nerve pain required ongoing medication; cognitive symptoms were unresolved.

HBOT Protocol: 60 sessions at 2.0 ATA. First 40 sessions conducted at 5 sessions per week.

Outcome: "Complete elimination of pain in his legs, alleviation of neuropathy, and resolution of brain fog and memory issues." Patient was able to stop all nerve pain medication.

Source type: Clinic case report

Citation:

Supporting evidence context — Burn healing: A 2023 prospective cohort study (Özdemir et al., n=58) found HBOT (90 min/day, 2.4 ATA, up to 21 sessions) significantly reduced the need for surgery (10.3% vs. 48.3%, p=0.003), reduced grafting in partial-thickness burns (3.4% vs. 24.1%, p=0.03), and accelerated epithelialization (p<0.001) compared to standard care alone.

Citation:

Case 22 — Compromised Flap Salvage: Post-Mastectomy Reconstruction

Patient: Not individually named; case report from published literature

Condition: Patient with radiation history undergoing nipple-sparing mastectomy with immediate tissue expander reconstruction developed intraoperative ischemia of the mastectomy skin flaps — a potentially catastrophic complication requiring repeat surgery

HBOT Protocol: Initiated immediately post-procedure; 15 sessions total.

Outcome: "Complete flap salvage and successful completion of the reconstruction." No additional surgery required.

Source type: Peer-reviewed / journal-documented (case report cited in systematic review)

Citation:

Case 23 — Crush Hand Injury: Industrial Worker Series (2024)

Patient cohort: 72 patients with crush hand injury treated at a Taiwanese hospital (2018–2021): 36 received HBOT, 36 standard care

HBOT Protocol: Average of 18.2 sessions (range 5–32); no complications related to HBOT reported

Outcome: In patients with injured areas ≤50 cm², the HBOT group healed significantly faster (29.9 ± 12.9 days vs. 41.0 ± 18.9 days, p=0.03). Early HBOT initiation (≤72 hours post-op) was associated with shorter hospital stay. European Committee for Hyperbaric Medicine (2016) strongly recommends HBOT for open fractures with crush injury (Gustilo type III B and C).

Source type: Peer-reviewed / journal-documented

Citation:

Part XIV: Lyme Disease / PTLDS

Case 24 — Megan: Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome (PTLDS)

Patient: Megan (last name withheld)

Condition: Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome following a tick bite; treated with years of antibiotics including IV antibiotics; hospitalized with sepsis, pneumonia, and kidney stones. Persistent joint pain, fatigue, brain fog, and inability to exercise.

HBOT Protocol: High-pressure HBOT at precise atmospheric parameters targeting spirochete kill at a HBOT clinic in Palm Harbor, Florida (treating physician: Dr. Allan Spiegel).

Outcome: Patient testimonial: "Since I've been down here, I've been able to run. I've been able to hold my baby. I've been able to dance with him… I enjoy running and I haven't been able to run or exercise like this in years. The pain has subsided, and a lot of the brain fog has gone away. My energy is there. I can do my dishes. I can take a shower without feeling like I'm going to faint."

️ Scientific context: HBOT for Lyme disease / PTLDS is off-label and not FDA-approved. It is not included in IDSA Lyme disease treatment guidelines. A 1998 case series by Fife et al. suggested potential benefit, but controlled trial data is limited. Spirochetes (Borrelia burgdorferi) are microaerophilic and may be inhibited by high-oxygen environments, but this has not been validated in human RCTs. These cases should be understood as patient-reported anecdotes.

Source type: Clinic-reported / patient testimonial

Citations:

Summary Table

Case Patient Age Condition Protocol Outcome Source Level
1 Baby Jessica McClure 18 months Crush ischemia / gangrene risk to foot Multiple sessions ~90 min Toe lost, foot saved News
2 "Britney" (UAB) ~17–19 Post-stroke: wheelchair, vision loss 120 sessions, 2+ ATA Walking, vision restored Hospital
3 74 stroke patients (Efrati) 6–36 mo post-stroke Chronic ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke 40 sessions, 2.0 ATA, 90 min Significant motor, ADL, SPECT improvement RCT
4 Joe Namath ~69 TBI from NFL concussions 120 sessions, ~1.5–2.0 ATA, 60 min SPECT normalized, cognitive improvement /
5 16 veterans (Harch) ~30 avg Blast TBI / PTSD 40 sessions, 1.5 ATA, 60 min PCL-M ↓ 30%, memory ↑, SPECT improved Phase I
6 Eden Carlson 2 Near-drowning anoxic brain injury 40 HBOT sessions, 1.3 ATA, 45 min Brain atrophy reversed on MRI; walking, talking Case report
7 31 long COVID patients (Hadanny) Adults Long COVID cognitive/fatigue 40 daily sessions Improvements sustained 1+ year RCT follow-up
8 232 long COVID patients (van Berkel) Adults Long COVID 40 sessions, 2.4–2.5 ATA, 90–110 min 56–63% improved; 13–19% worsened Registry
9 Scholar, 27 27 CO poisoning delayed sequelae 100 sessions, 2.4 ATA, 90 min Full independence restored Case report
10 Elderly woman 82 Severe CO poisoning 1 session, 2.5 ATA Full neurological recovery Case report
11 Mary-Sarah Proctor Adult Diabetic foot ulcer / amputation threat Individualized HBOT course Foot saved, returned to classroom Hospital
12 Aimee Copeland 24 Necrotizing fasciitis (NSTI) Not documented for Copeland Survived (limbs amputated); HBOT ↑ NSTI survival 8.9× in trials /
13 Stephan Tschida 68 Delayed radiation injury (prostate) Individualized Remarkable recovery Clinic
14 Scott Begnoche Adult Severe decompression sickness 53 hrs; U.S. Navy protocol ~165 ft depth Arms recovered; outcome ongoing News
15 Malik Altoos Adult In-flight DCS (the bends) 3 sessions Full recovery Hospital
16 111 CP children (Collet/McGill) 3–12 Cerebral palsy 40 sessions, 1.75 ATA vs. 1.3 ATA sham Both groups improved; no stat. difference — debate about sham RCT (contested)
17 "Kathy" 39 Sudden sensorineural hearing loss 15–20 sessions, 2.4 ATA, 90 min 100% hearing restored Clinic
18 Terrell Owens 31 Broken fibula / ankle ligament Personal chamber, multi-session Played Super Bowl 7 weeks post-surgery News
19 Anonymous athlete 23 Post-concussion syndrome 40 sessions, 2.0 ATA, 90 min Headaches, brain fog, memory improved Clinic
20 Autism cohort (Rossignol) 2–16 Autism Spectrum Disorder 40 sessions, 1.3 ATA Parent-reported improvements in 87%+ / (off-label)
21 Burn/neuropathy patient Adult Burn + nerve pain + brain fog 60 sessions, 2.0 ATA Pain eliminated, off meds Clinic
22 Mastectomy patient Adult Compromised flap post-reconstruction 15 sessions Complete flap salvage Case report
23 36 crush hand patients Adult Industrial crush injury Avg. 18.2 sessions Faster healing, shorter hospital stay Retrospective
24 "Megan" Adult Post-treatment Lyme disease (PTLDS) High-pressure HBOT Ran again, held baby, brain fog resolved Testimonial (off-label)

Notes on Evidence Quality

This collection spans the full spectrum of HBOT evidence:

Strongest evidence (FDA-approved indications with RCT support):

Moderate evidence (FDA-approved, mechanistically clear, but heterogeneous RCT data):

Emerging / investigational (off-label, active research):

Anecdotal / insufficiently controlled:

All case studies and claims in this document are sourced from the citations provided. Readers are encouraged to consult primary sources and treating physicians before making any clinical or personal health decisions.

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