Going to a “dive” on St. Patty’s Day?

03-16-2012

“Lucky” winner will dine in Hennepin County Medical Center’s hyperbaric chamber

“Dinner in the Hyperbaric Chamber” was put up as a silent auction item at HCMC’s Light Up the Night gala last December, benefiting HCMC’s education and training mission. The lucky winner of the auction item was an HCMC ophthalmologist who will share the prize with his wife and four other guests on Saturday, March 17 at 6:15 p.m. It is a fun coincidence that the event is occurring on St. Patrick’s Day.

Patients “dive” at various atmospheres in the hyperbaric chamber to treat critical medical conditions such as gas gangrene, carbon monoxide poisoning, air embolism due to diving, trauma, or surgical procedures, and decompression sickness. It is also an important adjunct for specific wound healing conditions.

HCMC’s hyperbaric chamber is located at 619 S. 5^th St. in Minneapolis. A new hyperbaric chamber is in the final stages of construction and will open in the next few months on the HCMC campus.