photo by: Autumn Bishop/LMH Health

A hyperbaric oxygen chamber used by LMH Health's Wound Healing and Vein Center.

When you hear about a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, you might think of scuba divers being treated for decompression sickness, or “the bends.” But these chambers are used for much more.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a treatment that increases the oxygen level in body tissues to promote healing. Patients enter a clear chamber that when closed, increases the air pressure two to three times higher than normal atmospheric pressure. Patients breathe 100% oxygen in the chamber to promote healing by stimulating new blood vessel growth, enhancing the effectiveness of antibiotics, and preserving injured tissue.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps with several medical issues, including:

• Bone infections

• Diabetic foot wounds

• Injuries from radiation

• Side effects after radiation treatment, including jaw pain

One surprising condition it can help with is acute sudden hearing loss. Dr. Kye Evans, medical director for the Wound Healing Center, said it’s a condition his team is seeing more often.

“Sometimes people wake up and can’t hear out of one ear. They often think it’s just clogged and wait too long to get it checked,” he said. “If we catch it early – within about two weeks – we might be able to restore some hearing using the hyperbaric chamber.”

The treatment works by increasing the amount of oxygen delivered to the inner ear, helping heal the nerves and tissues.

The Wound Healing Center added a second hyperbaric chamber in May 2025. The clinic previously had two, but one was retired a few years ago as it reached the end of its lifespan.

“Now that we have two chambers again, we can treat more patients — up to six a day,” Evans said. “Some treatments take longer, so having two gives us more flexibility.”

Teaming up to provide better wound and vein care

In 2021, the Wound Healing Center joined forces with Lawrence Vein Specialists to form the LMH Health Wound Healing and Vein Center. Following Dr. Dale Denning’s retirement, Evans and Dr. Toni Pittman now lead the combined clinic, along with Dr. Khylie Wurdeman and Dr. Taylor Neff.

“This was a big win for patients,” Evans said. “Many people with wounds also have vein issues and may not know it. Before, it could take weeks to get them seen by both clinics. Now, it’s a more seamless process.”

Each doctor also brings a background in emergency medicine to the clinic. Evans spent a number of years in the Emergency Department, and Pittman also works as the chief of emergency medicine at LMH Health.

“I can often tell right away if someone needs emergency care,” he said. “If a patient has poor blood flow or a serious infection, we work closely with the Emergency Department to make sure they get the help they need quickly.”

A major goal of wound care is saving injured limbs and preventing the need for amputation.

“Many wounds and injuries in the ED result in bad [long-term] outcomes, so it made a lot of sense for me to continue in that field and provide comprehensive care for patients,” Evans said.

Collaboration with other specialties, including ENT, podiatry, occupational medicine, infectious disease, orthopedics and plastic surgery, also result in better outcomes for patients.

“Podiatrists treat a tremendous number of diabetic foot wounds, but more complex or severe cases can be referred to the Wound Healing and Vein Center,” Evans said. “We also treat wounds that occur on the job so patients can heal and get back to their livelihoods.”

Whether you’re getting wound or vein care, it’s important to remember that it’s not a quick fix. It’s a protocol-driven process that’s tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Evans said that even after treatment is over, you’ll still return to the clinic for follow-up visits.

“We don’t treat your veins or your wound and say, ‘All right, we’ll see you later.’ We’re going to see you in six months or a year,” he said. “Once you develop a condition like varicose veins, your chances of having a recurrence are higher, and we want to help before they get severe.”

Evans said collaboration between physicians is one thing that makes it clear that LMH Health is a great place to get care.

“Being able to call or text my colleagues to get the whole picture about a patient is invaluable,” he said. “Having easy access to providers is one piece of the puzzle that helps us to make decisions to provide the best care and get our patients healed successfully and as quickly as possible.”

— Autumn Bishop is the marketing manager and content strategist at LMH Health, which is a sponsor of the Lawrence Journal-World health section.