News Articles

Reprinted with Permission

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North Lake Tahoe Bonanza, November 24, 2000
Medical facility breathes new hope into patients
By Merry Thomas, Bonanza Staff Writer

Incline Village resident Richard Flyer opened the doors of the Northern Nevada Hyperbaric Center just one month ago.

The opportunity to buy the business came up in July. It combined his background in science, particularly his research into diving physiology, with his management experience in charitable and nonprofit organizations.

“It appealed to me to be part of a frontier of medicine. This is one of the fastest growing fields in medicine” Flyer said.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used in conjunction with other kinds of treatments to help particular patients.

The therapy is approved by both the American Medical Association and the Federal Drug Administration. It involves a patient’s breathing 100 percent oxygen derived from liquid oxygen at pressures greater than normal.

“For the right person at the right time, it’s like a miracle,” said Jody Harrington,who oversees treatment at the center.

One-hundred percent oxygen is, she said, a medication, a drug. “Yet it has no ill side effects,” common in many medicines, according to Flyer.

Harrington has been working in the field of hyperbaric medicine for more than seven years. She is a certified hyperbaric technician and a certified respiratory therapist.

Bringing a background of clinical hospital experience, working with patients throughout Florida, many of whom were divers or patients who had wounds that were slow to heal, Harrington is eager to apply her knowledge to patients in Northern Nevada.

“I’ve worked with several of each type of patient on the listing [of insurance reimbursable conditions,” she said.

Washoe Medical Center respiratory staff were fascinated, she said. “We gave them some
inservices and they started giving us referrals and making appointments for us,” Harrington added.

She said she’s currently treating a stroke patient.

“Results have been miraculous in just a couple of weeks of treatments,” Harrington said. The patient is now alert and oriented and he doesn’t have pain. He speaks without a slur now, as well, she said.

Another patient she’s treating had soft tissue necrosis. Tuesday he received his 34th treatment, she added.

“He had radiation cistitis. For the first time in the year since radiation treatments, the patient reported no pain and no bleeding, she said.

New areas being studied for possible hyperbaric therapy include spinal cord injuries and sports injuries, Harrington said.

“We assess the patient before going ahead with treatment. We don’t want to waste their time or give them false hope,” Harrington said.

Therapists work along with the patients’ physicians to achieve optimum results, she added.

Some conditions not on the list but have had anecdotal success with the therapy are migraine and cluster headaches and chronic fatigue syndrome.

Flyer, whose background is in biological science, has put together an enthusiastic and experienced team of health professionals.

Though the facility behind Meadowood Mall has been in operation in Reno for four years, its use had been directed toward alternative medicine, rather than a broad application to many medical conditions, Harrington explained.

“I hope we grow enough to become a site for clinical trials,” Flyer said.

For more information, contact the Northern Nevada Hyperbaric Center, 1698 Meadowood Lane, Reno;
(775) 826-208

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Senior Spectrum, August 2001

Northern Nevada Hyperbaric Center
100 Percent Oxygen to Promote Healing

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy is gaining acceptance in the treatment of wound healing, managing infections, and eliminating low tissue oxygen commonly found in diseased areas of the body.

Approved by the AMA (American Medical Association) and FDA (Federal Drug Administration), patients treated with 100 percent oxygen under pressure may receive numerous benefits. Northern Nevada Hyperbaric Center, Clinical Director, Richard Flyer, M.S., concurs. “Breathing 100 percent oxygen greater than normal with the purpose to increase the oxygen level in tissues will enable the body to heal faster, especially in certain non-healing wounds such as diabetic ulcers, foot ulcers, tissue damage from radiation therapy, and crush injuries.”

For seniors, who traditionally heal slower, hyperbaric oxygen treatment can be significant. “A variety of wounds simply lack oxygen in the tissue to enable normal tissue repair mechanisms to come into play. For most of us, if we’re healthy and don’t have poor circulation or infections, our bodies heal normally. But for a large segment of the population, particularly the elderly that have poor circulation, and may be diabetic, the required oxygen is not delivered to the tissue area at the site of the wound.” Seniors suffering these conditions are burdened with diminished quality of life. Wounds may not heal for months or years.

Hyperbaric oxygen can deliver up to 12 times the oxygen to a wound to promote healing.”

For 68-year-old Vern Henderson, a throat cancer survivor, hyperbaric treatment produced good results. Henderson suffered tissue damage from radiation and chemotherapy. “I couldn’t swallow, my throat wasn’t healing. The doctors decided I should go into hyperbaric treatment. After 30 days, I began swallowing easier, I could eat, and the pain went away. After another 30 days, I had no pain, I could swallow, eat anything without hurting, and my saliva became normal.”

Henderson recently had a biopsy which showed he had no more cancer. “I’m fine, and I feel great!”

For Janet Parish, who was referred to the Hyperbaric Center by Dr. Joseph McMullen, treatment was required before additional surgery. Parish had cancer in the throat and mouth. “Due to tissue damage, the oral surgeon wouldn’t pull my teeth until I had oxygen treatment. They were afraid my mouth wouldn’t heal after so much radiation.” Parish received 20, 2-hour oxygen treatments before the doctor could operate. “It’s turning out fine,” said Parish. “I’ve been a survivor, I think. It helped the blood system, and helped in healing.”

Hyperbarics is often used in conjunction with traditional treatment of certain wounds. “The clinic works with the primary physician as a team,” explains Flyer. “We’re part of the mix.” Currently, there are 13 medical conditions that can be treated by hyperbaric oxygen that insurance will cover. They include:

• Tissue damage from radiation
• Non-healing wounds compromised by infections
• Gangrene
• Bone infection
• Osteoradionecrosis
• Compromised skin grafts and flaps
• Crush injury
• Compartment syndrome
• Necrotizing soft tissue infection
• Carbon monoxide and cyanide poisoning
• Air or gas embolism
• Decompression sickness
• Thermal burns
• Limb salvage/reattachments/amputations
• Osteomyelitis

“Hyperbarics also has a direct antibacterial effect, and manages certain infections. Necrotizing infections or gangrene can be caused by anaerobic bacteria –bacteria that thrives in no oxygen environments. Hyperbarics can flood those tissues.”

Investigational areas not yet covered by insurance include stroke, cerebral palsy, and multiple sclerosis – neurological conditions. Flyer says these areas have not been approved because there has not been much clinical testing. But stroke shows the most promise.

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment is delivered to patients in an oxygen chamber at the outpatient facility. Patients can watch movies, or listen to a CD while being treated. A technician is always present.

“I was apprehensive at first,” says Henderson, “but after the first 10 minutes, I relaxed.”
Side effects may include clogging of ears. After treatment, some people have more energy while others feel no effect. “People asked me if I got high after receiving oxygen for two hours,” adds Parish. “But I didn’t feel any different.”

The Northern Nevada Hyperbaric Center is the only clinic in the northern Nevada area. Located at 1698 Meadowood Lane, Reno, it can be reached at (775)826-2084