The Hill Report
From Congressmen Pete Sessions

Posted By admin On July 13, 2009 (12:29 pm) In On The Record.

This afternoon, the House of Representatives unanimously passed legislation I authored to recognize and report the results and planned expansion of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Veterans Affairs medical facilities.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) uses a chamber to administer oxygen in prescribed dosages for a variety of external and internal injuries. The oxygen acts as a catalyst in healing wounds that often fail to respond to other medical and surgical practices and that lack the blood circulation and blood-oxygen levels necessary to heal.

The Federal Drug Administration has already approved the use of HBOT for thirteen medical conditions, including non-healing diabetic foot wounds, crush injuries, exceptional blood loss, and tissue transfer for complex wound reconstruction. Under military and VA medical care, HBOT has saved injured service members or veterans from expensive, painful, life-altering, and potentially life-threatening amputation of an arm, leg, hand or foot.

Thousands of our brave servicemen and women are returning from combat with severe limb injuries, Traumatic Brain Injuries and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorders, resulting in an inability to hold a job, properly care for their families, or, in some cases, overcome suicidal tendencies. As a nation, we have the responsibility for their care and recovery, and I am particularly encouraged with the potential of expanding hyperbaric therapy to treat brain-injured solders suffering from TBI and PTSD.

Since 2006, I have been actively engaged in researching a new cross-application of hyperbaric therapy to an increasingly-common and life-threatening non-healing wound: Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Currently, veterans suffering from TBI are receiving hyperbaric therapy from only private physicians, and evidence from numerous cases show substantial progress in brain function after treatment. I have met with physicians, scientists, the Department of Defense, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and service members regarding the potential of expanding hyperbaric therapy for TBI and PTSD in military and VA medical facilities.

As an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2010 Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act, my legislation requires the VA to submit a report to Congress detailing the current and planned use of the Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in VA medical facilities, including the number of veterans and types of conditions being treated with HBOT, their respective success rates, and the current inventory of hyperbaric chambers.