Indication Matrix
HBOT Indications: Evidence, Recognition & Protocol
Every hyperbaric oxygen therapy indication in one table: the strength of the evidence, its UHMS indication number, whether it is publicly funded in Canada, the treatment protocol reported in the literature, and how many peer-reviewed studies in our database support it. Each cell links to its source.
| Indication | UHMS | Evidence | Status in Canada | Public coverage | Protocol | Studies | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air or Gas Embolism | 1 | Tier A | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.0-2.4 ATA / 2-7 sessions Standard course is initial recompression on US Navy Table 6 at 2.8 ATA (75 min O2, ~285 min total); Table 6A fallback to 6.0 ATA | 155 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Carbon Monoxide Poisoning | 2 | Tier A | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.8-3.0 ATA / 1-3 sessions / 90-150 min | 685 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Gas Gangrene (Clostridial Myositis and Myonecrosis) | 3 | Tier A | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 3.0 ATA / 7-10 sessions / 90 min | 131 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Crush Injury, Compartment Syndrome, and Other Acute Traumatic Ischaemias | 4 | Tier A | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.0-2.5 ATA / 7-14 sessions / 90 min | 35 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Decompression Sickness | 5 | Tier A | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.0-2.4 ATA Standard course begins with US Navy Table 6 recompression at 2.8 ATA, ~285 min total, before these follow-on sessions | 235 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Severe Anaemia (Exceptional Blood Loss) | 7 | Tier B | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.0-3.0 ATA / 90-120 min | 14 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Intracranial Abscess | 8 | Tier B | UHMS only | Not publicly funded | 2.0-2.5 ATA / 10-20 sessions / 90 min | 11 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections | 9 | Tier B | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.0-2.5 ATA / 10-30 sessions / 90 min | 310 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Refractory Osteomyelitis | 10 | Tier B | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.0-2.5 ATA / 20-40 sessions / 90 min | 115 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Delayed Radiation Injury (Soft Tissue and Bony Necrosis) | 11 | Tier A | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.0-2.4 ATA / 30-40 sessions / 90 min Umbrella: non-mandibular/soft-tissue 30-40 (extend to 60); mandibular ORN Marx 30+10 around surgery; prophylactic jaw 20+10; cystitis/proctitis & brain necrosis 30-60 | 783 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Compromised Grafts and Flaps | 12 | Tier B | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.0-2.5 ATA / 10-20 sessions / 90 min Pre-op prep of irradiated recipient sites uses Marx 20-and-10: 20 sessions before, 10 after, total 30 | 140 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Acute Thermal Burns | 13 | Tier B | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.0-2.4 ATA / 5-30 sessions / 90 min First 24h: 2 sessions, then once daily; 5-14 sessions typical, up to 30 for most severe/staged reconstruction. | 49 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss (Idiopathic) | 14 | Tier A | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.0-2.5 ATA / 10-20 sessions / 90 min | 286 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Central Retinal Artery Occlusion | n/a | Tier C | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.4-2.5 ATA / 7-14 sessions / 90 min Initial session on US Navy Table 6: recompression to 2.8 ATA, ~285 min total, before the daily 2.4-2.5 ATA course | 95 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Chondroradionecrosis | n/a | Tier B | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.0-2.4 ATA / 30-40 sessions / 90 min Surgical cases use Marx-style 30-and-10: 30 HBOT sessions before surgery, 10 after | 10 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Enhancement of Healing in Selected Problem Wounds | n/a | Tier A | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.0-2.4 ATA / 20-40 sessions / 90-120 min | 1,117 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Glioblastoma | n/a | Tier D | Investigational | Not publicly funded | See condition page | 2 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Long COVID | n/a | Tier C | Investigational | Not publicly funded | Not established See condition page | 58 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
| Radiation Cystitis | n/a | Tier A | Publicly funded | Funded where a hospital programme exists 6 provinces | 2.0-2.4 ATA / 30-60 sessions / 60-120 min | 108 | UHMS Recognition Coverage |
Evidence tier, UHMS number and Canadian recognition status are drawn from this site's condition taxonomy, which is reviewed by a human editor and dated on each condition page. Study counts are live counts from our research database using the same condition filter as the condition page itself. Treatment protocols are those reported in the published literature and are not a treatment recommendation; the treating hyperbaric physician sets the protocol. The public-coverage column is derived: it reflects whether an indication is on the publicly funded Canadian list, combined with provincial coverage data. It does not assert that a specific province funds a specific indication. This page is informational and is not medical advice.
Update Record
What has changed in this matrix
This log is generated automatically by comparing each published version of the matrix against the previous one. An entry is recorded only after a change is verified live on this page, so the record cannot drift from the table above, and nothing is added by hand. Last change recorded 2026-07-24. Matrix last regenerated 2026-08-21.
| Date | Indication | Field | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-24 | Delayed Radiation Injury (Soft Tissue and Bony Necrosis) | Treatment protocol | 2.0-2.4 ATA, 30-40 sessions, 90 min to 2.0-2.4 ATA, 30-40 sessions, 90 min [Umbrella: non-mandibular/soft-tissue 30-40 (extend to 60); mandibular ORN Marx 30+10 around surgery; prophylactic jaw 20+10; cystitis/proctitis & brain necrosis 30-60] |
| 2026-07-24 | Matrix | Record started: 19 indications, 4339 studies |