The doctor's chambers

The doctor's chambers



One looks like a white submarine ready to dive into the depths, with a small circular port window to peer out on an imaginary sea.

The other one — not so much.

They are both hyperbaric oxygen chambers, and true to their U.S. Navy roots, time spent in one is called "a dive."

Even the pressurization inside is measured by depths of the sea. Two clinics in Tulsa have hyperbaric chambers that are used to aid in healing wounds: St. John Medical Center and OSU Medical Center.

"It forces oxygen into malfunctioning limbs. For diabetic wounds and wounds in general, it can start building new blood vessels in that area," said Dr. Gerald Wootan of Jenks Health Team, 715 W. Main St.

At a price of at least $400 per dive, hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be expensive. But for a diabetic seeking to ward off amputation of a limb, a 40-dive protocol can save money and a limb, Wootan said.

"The cost is about one-fourth of what a diabetic would pay for an amputation surgery and hospitalization," he said.

While Wootan treats diabetic wounds, he has taken hyperbaric oxygen therapy even further.

His patients are stroke victims, children with autism, patients with peripheral vascular disease, people whose bones or soft tissue have been damaged by radiation, people with cerebral palsy, patients with skin grafts or burns, and those with any condition created or worsened by a lack of blood flow. 


In fact, more parents of autistic children across the country are turning to hyperbaric oxygen therapy, chelation and a special diet to help their children. It is called the Defeat Autism Now or DAN protocol.

As one of only two licensed health care professionals in Oklahoma listed on the DAN clinician registry, Wootan sees between 100 and 200 autistic children on a regular basis. Autism is a brain-based disorder that affects a person's behavior, social and communication skills.

The parent of one of those children, Yvette Hill of Shawnee, has been thrilled with how her 11-year-old autistic son Trent is progressing due to hyperbaric oxygen therapy. "Within a week, I noticed a big difference in Trent. Before, his speech was very basic and babyish talk. He would stare and laugh inappropriately. He wouldn't look you in the eyes and he would zone out," she said.

After a month of the therapy, "Trent was a completely different little boy," Hill said.

The earlier mannerisms had faded and he was better able to focus during occupational and speech therapy, she said.

One day, Trent even told his mother they were late for an appointment.

"I turned around and said, 'Since when can you tell time?' " Hill said. "What I've found is that he's actually going through the social development steps now that he didn't go through earlier. Now he's engaging and reaching out to people."

U.S. researchers are launching studies of the use of hyperbarics both for traumatic head injuries and for autism. A 2006 pilot study by a Virginia researcher saw statistically significant improvements among its autistic subjects in mannerisms, health and physical behavior, sensory and cognitive awareness and speech, language and communication.

Still, some label the treatment's use among autistic children as quackery. But Wootan, an Oklahoma-licensed osteopathic physician in good standing, says its benefits for these patients are significant.

"There really is no downside to treating with oxygen," he said. While oxygen is considered a drug, this treatment's risks are minimal, he said.

The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society, the governing body of hyperbaric medicine, has approved the therapy for the treatment of 13 select conditions. Those are covered by Medicare and most insurers, he said. So-called off-label uses, such as for autism, are acceptable as long as prescribed by and conducted by licensed physicians, he said.

"It's like any other procedure. It has to be done correctly," Wootan said. Both he and hyperbaric technician Brian English were trained in proper protocols.

In his practice, Wootan says he has seen anecdotal evidence that hyperbaric oxygen therapy improves the function of autistic children.

"About 60 percent of the autistic children we've seen do better in behavior and function after hyperbarics as evaluated by their parents," he said.

Wootan hopes more research will be done to support this treatment for autistic spectrum disorders.

"It's criminal to withhold therapy that can help somebody," he said. "Hyperbarics is like watering your yard. When it's dry and brown, it looks dead. But if you water it again soon enough, it starts growing. Why? Because the root wasn't dead." 

Statement by Autism Center of Tulsa on hyperbaric oxygen therapy:

“Our goal at the Autism Center of Tulsa is to provide families with the information they need to choose from among the many available autism treatments today. As with any autism treatment, families interested in biomedical treatment should consult with their physician, do research, and decide what is right for their individual family members. The Autism Research Institute offers comprehensive information on biomedical treatments, including a list of Defeat Autism Now! trained physicians. The American Academy of Pediatrics has Management and Care standards for autism that address complimentary alternative medicine.”

For more information about the center’s services, go to tulsaworld.com/ autismtulsa.