The experience of London Hyperbaric Medicine at Whipps Cross University Hospital in the acute treatment of Carbon Monoxide poisoning

RIASSUNTO Il trattamento con ossigeno iperbarico a 2,8 ATA dei pazienti con grave intossicazione acuta da CO e effi cace e consente una completa risoluzione dei sintomi nell’84% dei pazienti. Quindi i pazienti affetti da grave intossicazione da CO dovrebbero essere trattati con OTI per prevenire l’insorgenza della sindrome neurologica secondaria post-intervallare. E da ricordare che una iniziale immediata risoluzione dei sintomi non esclude necessariamente l’insorgenza dei sintomi neurologici a lungo termine. In the United Kingdom more than 50 people die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning every year, and 200 people are seriously injured according to the National Health Service’s, NHS direct. Our hyperbaric centre is located in east London and is one of 3 centres in London, the biggest and with the highest amount of emergencies related to carbon monoxide poisoning. We conducted a retrospective audit on all patients assessed at our unit for treatment of CO poisoning over a 3 year period between December 2004 and October 2007. Presenting signs and symptoms were noted, as well as fi recorded COHb levels. Time to fi HbO treatment, dosage and frequency of treatments prescribed were assessed. The outcome studied was whether there was resolution of symptoms, as well as the presence of delayed neuropsychological sequaelae.