Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy at GBMC
What is Hyperbaric Oxygen?
With significant amounts of concentrated oxygen, the body realizes important benefits such as:
- Increased blood flow to the injured tissues
- Increased blood vessel formation
- Increased healing of wounds
- Reduced swelling
- Reduced infection
- Preservation of compromised tissue
- Stimulation of new bone formation
- Decreased size of life-threatening air bubbles in the blood
- Reduced effect of toxic substances
These benefits can result in improved and faster healing wounds!
What Conditions Can Hyperbaric Oxygen Treat?
Hyperbaric oxygen treatment is used to treat a variety of conditions including:
- Chronic Wounds
- Diabetic wounds of lower extremities
- Radiation tissue damage
- Compromised skin grafts and flaps
- Acute traumatic injury
- Osteomyelitis
- Necrotizing soft tissue infections
- Crush injuries
- Treatment of carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning
Our Team
Jennifer A. Heller, MD, RPVI, FACS
Medical Director, Wound Center at GBMC; Director, Vein Center, Hyperbaric Medicine, Lymphedema, and Rehabilitation Medicine
Dr. Heller is the Medical Director of the Wound Center at GBMC. She is also Director of the Vein Center, Hyperbaric Medicine, Lymphedema, and Rehabilitation Medicine. She previously served as Assistant Professor of Surgery at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and as the founder and Director of the Johns Hopkins Vein Centers. A graduate of George Washington University School of Medicine in Washington, D.C., Dr. Heller completed her surgical residency, including a year as Administrative Chief Resident, at Boston University Medical Center. She completed her Vascular Surgery fellowship at New York Presbyterian Hospital.
Madison Taylor
Ambulatory Operations Manager, Wound Care Center, Inpatient Wound Care, Hyperbaric, Ostomy, and Lymphedema Clinic
Coverage for Hyperbaric Medicine is delivered by GBMC providers who have completed training in an approved Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) Program.
What To Expect
A comprehensive consultation will take place with the hyperbaric provider to ensure you are safe for treatment as well as explain the treatment process to you. You will have an education session with the hyperbaric nurse who will instruct you on how to prepare and what to expect for treatment. An education packet will be provided, as well as contact information if you have any more questions for us while at home.
Before Your First Appointment:
- A physician referral/order to be seen at the GBMC Hyperbaric Medicine Center
- Photo identification
- Insurance card(s)
- List of medications
- List of medical providers
What Will Happen Once You Arrive?
After an initial consultation and examination at the Center, you will be ready to begin your treatment. When you arrive, you will receive complete instructions regarding your treatment. Before starting, you will change into a 100-percent cotton garment provided by the Center. For safety reasons, no other clothing may be worn inside the hyperbaric oxygen treatment chamber.
Bradford Houck, PA-C Vascular and General Surgery
Brad earned his Physician’s Assistant degree from The Touro College of Health Sciences in 1979. He joined Vascular Surgery Associates in 1995.
David Kitchen, CRNP, CWSC David Kitchen graduated from University of Buffalo with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing in 1998 and is working at Greater Baltimore Medical Center's Surgical Intensive Care Unit. He received his Master of Science Degree in Nursing from University of Maryland in 2010. He earned his certification as Adult/Gerontological Nurse Practitioner in 2011 and began training in wound care that same year. He has worked as a nurse practitioner in wound management and recently joined the team at the Greater Baltimore Center for Rehabilitation Medicine working with lymphedema patients. He is using the knowledge and experience that he has gained from working with a wide variety of patients including medical, surgical, and critical care, as well as outpatient.
Leora Schindelheim, PA Leora Schindelheim, PA, is a physician assistant for the Wound Center at GBMC. She completed her education at City University of New York (CUNY)/York College, earning a Master of Science degree in the Physician Assistant Program, where she was also awarded with the Physician Assistant Scholar award for academic excellence. Licensed in Maryland and New York, she was previously employed as a physician assistant for Montefiore Medical Center – Einstein and Moses Division, in Bronx, New York.
Megan Tuffaha, BSN, RN, AGNP-C Megan Tuffaha, BSN, RN, AGNP-C, is a nurse practitioner for the Wound Center at GBMC. She holds a Master of Science degree in Nursing from The Johns Hopkins University and a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to joining GBMC, she worked as a nurse practitioner for the Brady Urological Institute at The Johns Hopkins University. She also has experience as a surgical intensive care nurse and as an advanced cardiac life support instructor.
