EUBS Members Help Requests

Technical Requests

April 30, 2019

José Guilherme Nobre is a med student from Lisbon University Medical School and writes the following:
Dear EUBS,
I am developing, with my tutors, a project on Hyperbaric Medicine Research. Summarizing, we are trying to understand the benefits and the genetical, epigenetical and molecular mechanisms of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy as an adjuvant therapy in hypoxic tumours treatment. However, we are having problems in acquiring the veterinary hyperbaric machine due to 2 reasons: first, we were promised the only veterinary hyperbaric machine in Portugal but, after some troubles, we couldn’t get the machine. The second situation, is that we do not have funding to acquire the machine (we already have some prices and the cheapest and best for our project costs 7500€). So, we are sending this email in order to request assistance from EUBS.
We have a lot of projects in the area of oncology (a promising area for using HBOT) and in functional medicine. So, our intention is to really develop this area of hyperbaric medicine, at european level.
Thank you very much and hope you understand our situation.
Kind regards,
J. Guilherme Nobre

joseguilhermenobre@campus.ul.pt

If any EUBS member can help out, please contact him !

Medical Requests

May 20, 2019

Peter Germonpré is Medical Director of the Centre for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy of the Military Hospital Brussels, and writes the following:

We are currently following a young male person (born 1981) who suffers since 6 years from severe wound healing problems after implantation of an ICD for diagnosed Brugada disease. On three occasions, the ICD has had to be removed for non-healing implantation site, and even now (no ICD in place anymore), the last implantation site has become a chronic, easily bleeding, extended skin and subcutaneous tissue defect, without signs of proper granulation let alone successful skin grafting and flap surgery. He has been followed consecutively at two university plastic surgery departments who basically “gave up” after multiple surgeries, including DIEP flap, multiple skin grafts, as well as NPWT, PGF, keratinocytes,…).

Diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos Disease was suspected but not confirmed (genetic test negative, Beighton score 5/9). Electron-microscopic examination of the skin has been performed in the past and showed disturbed collagen pattern, with reduced fibre content and cauliflower aspect. No specific diagnosis suggested. A recent suggestion of Pyoderma Granulosum was not confirmed by biopsy.

Hyperbaric oxygen treatment has been performed before (2015 – 30 treatments with limited effect and no final healing; up to May 20, 2019 20 more treatments with clinically no effect. Serial biopsies no significant evolution). Anemic, needs blood transfusions every 2 weeks as blood loss from wound dressings is significant.

No other known pathology. No medication. No blood or coagulation disorder identified. No other family members affected (except maybe 6 year old son, who seems to be “healing small wounds with some difficulty”). Psychiatric evaluation negative for possible auto-affliction.

See small pictures below. If any EUBS member can help identifying this disease of can offer other suggestions, please contact me for further clinical info and pictures.

Peter Germonpré
peter.germonpre@eubs.org