USE
& ABUSE OF REFURBISHED HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY CHAMBERS IN INDIA
Interest in new HBO facilities in
India is presently expanding rapidly. This is greatly going to benefit the
patients who had no other alternative treatments available to them in certain
medical problems.
However, there are substantial numbers
of new companies entering into the refurbished market, often in areas where
they have very little knowledge of the in’s and out’s of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, neither in the
technical nor in the clinical part.
The
fundamental technology in a hyperbaric chamber system is fairly simple and well
understood. However, the proper packaging of that technology into a safe and
effective Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Chamber is a lot more difficult than it looks.
Buyers beware before taking a decision in buying a refurbished Hyperbaric Chamber:
Consider the
below bare facts !!!
1. A
clinical chamber system is NOT a diving recompression chamber. The main
personnel hazard in a clinical chamber, for example, is often not the much
discussed issues of oxygen toxicity or fire, but the chances of components
failing during the therapy creating trauma or even causing damage to the patient’s
body organs.
2.
Hyperbaric chambers are pressure vessels. They are subject to the boiler and
pressure vessel laws of that jurisdiction which is not currently followed or
known in India. This regulatory aspect has nothing to do with medicine but is hospital
safety issues related to pressure vessels.
3.
Hyperbaric chambers being pressure vessels, are required to be certified by (1)
PVHO (Pressure Vessel for Human Occupancy) (2) ASME (American Standard for
Mechanical Engineers) (3) NFPA (National Fire Protection Act.
4.With
the current trend of Hyperbaric Medicine Treatment in India, Centers are opting
towards the “so called refurbished” hyperbaric chambers (used equipment…
strictly speaking) which are over 10-18 years old mainly from the Western and
European countries.
Why these units are not
refurbished? It
would be prudent for any user in the USA, for example, to buy a new Hyperbaric
Chamber than spending huge amounts on a new Acrylic tube, parts and the related
refurbishing labour costs.
This
is the reason why these “used, out dated
and not refurbished hyperbaric Chambers” are bought at junk prices and imported into
India.
The
underlying danger of the equipment is not explained to the Potential Customer.
There are serious protocol issues related to service, availability of spare
parts and most of all of the damages that may be caused to the patient during therapy.
5.
Apart from clinical hazard, these out dated equipment may hold potential risk
both to the operator and to the patient considering the aspect of dealing with
highly inflammable oxygen under pressurized conditions.
For further information:
Bird Medical
Devices, Mumbai, India
Tel: 91-22-656 55 123 Cell: 91-9769 484 123 (or) 91-9769 006 123
Tel: 91-22-656 55 123 Cell: 91-9769 484 123 (or) 91-9769 006 123
Email:
info@indiahbot.com (or) indiahbot@gmail.com
Website:- www.indiahbot.com / www.hyperbaricoxygentherapychamber.com
Website:- www.indiahbot.com / www.hyperbaricoxygentherapychamber.com
