Kuala terengganu: Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin Hospital (HoSZA) has marked another key milestone, becoming the first public university teaching hospital to establish a Hyperbaric Medicine Unit.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the HoSZA Corporate Communications and Customer Service Unit issued a statement today, announcing that the new unit, equipped with a multi-place hyperbaric chamber, commenced operations on March 15 and can accommodate up to seven patients at a time. The treatments offered include chronic wounds such as diabetic foot ulcers, diving-related conditions, air or gas embolism, gas gangrene, and necrotising soft tissue infections. Hyperbaric medicine employs pure oxygen at high pressure to enhance tissue healing, combat infection, and expedite recovery in specific conditions.

The service is anticipated to significantly benefit patients in Terengganu and the east coast, while reducing the necessity to refer them elsewhere for hyperbaric treatment. The statement also highlighted that the Hyperbaric Medicine Unit not only broadens patient access to advanced treatments but also reinforces HoSZA's role in clinical training, medical research, and building expertise in the country's teaching hospitals.