The main FDA-approved treatment for air and gas embolisms is HBOT treatment, which provides 100 percent oxygen at high pressures. When an air or gas embolism occurs, bubbles form in the blood vessels, preventing adequate blood flow and oxygen delivery to those areas of the body. This condition often occurs in divers as a result of decompression sickness, as well as after trauma to the lungs or following certain surgical procedures. HBOT treatment is proven to help reduce the size of the embolism, forcing the air or gas back into the body to dissolve in the blood.
