The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) is an organization based in the US which supports research on matters of hyperbaric medicine and physiology, and provides a certificate of added qualification for physicians with an unrestricted license to practice medicine and for limited licensed practitioners, at the completion of the Program for Advanced Training in Hyperbaric Medicine. They support an extensive library and are a primary source of information for

diving Diving most often refers to: * Diving (sport), the sport of jumping into deep water * Underwater diving, human activity underwater for recreational or occupational purposes Diving or Dive may also refer to: Sports * Dive (American football), ...

and

hyperbaric Hyperbaric medicine is medical treatment in which an increase in barometric pressure of typically air or oxygen is used. The immediate effects include reducing the size of gas emboli and raising the partial pressures of the gases present. Initial ...

medicine physiology worldwide.

History

The Undersea Medical Society (UMS) grew from the close associations of a small group of scientists. These men realized after a series of ''International Symposia on Underwater Physiology'', initiated by the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

and the

Office of Naval Research The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is an organization within the United States Department of the Navy responsible for the science and technology programs of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. Established by Congress in 1946, its mission is to plan ...

that there was a need to stimulate in the field of undersea medicine. This group consisted of

and

aerospace Aerospace is a term used to collectively refer to the atmosphere and outer space. Aerospace activity is very diverse, with a multitude of commercial, industrial, and military applications. Aerospace engineering consists of aeronautics and astron ...

Dr's Edward L. Beckman, Jack L. Kinsey,

Christian J. Lambertsen Christian James Lambertsen (May 15, 1917 – February 11, 2011) was an American medical researcher. He was a environmental medicine and diving medicine specialist who was principally responsible for developing the United States Navy frogmen' ...

, Walter F. Mazzone, Earl H. Ninow, and Robert D. Workman. The key decision from this meeting was that Dr. Lambertsen was charged with writing the

Constitution A constitution is the aggregate of fundamental principles or established precedents that constitute the legal basis of a polity, organization or other type of entity, and commonly determines how that entity is to be governed. When these pri ...

and establishing the society. They also decided that the

Aerospace Medical Association The Aerospace Medical Association (AsMA) is the largest professional organization in the fields of aviation, space, and environmental medicine. The AsMA membership includes aerospace and hyperbaric medical specialists, scientists, flight nurses ...

could be the initial home of the UMS. On 10 April 1967, a meeting was held in

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

to introduce the charter membership and elect the society officers and executive committee. There were 88 charter members and the founding Executive committee was made up of Dr's Edward L. Beckman, Albert R. Behnke, George F. Bond, Wallace O. Fenn, Jack L. Kinsey,

, Walter F. Mazzone, Earl H. Ninow, Heinz R. Schreiner, and Robert D. Workman. By 1973, the UMS had grown to the point of needing an office and hired Charles W. Shilling as the first Executive secretary. By the next year, the UMS established its scientific journal, '' Undersea Biomedical Research''. The journal continued under this name until 1993 when it was changed to ''

Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine Journal The Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical Society (UHMS) is an organization based in the US which supports research on matters of hyperbaric medicine and physiology, and provides a certificate of added qualification for physicians with an unrestricted li ...

''. In 1986, the UMS changed its name to the current one. The name change reflected the rapidly growing interest in hyperbaric oxygen physiology and therapy. The UHMS's purpose is to provide scientific information to protect the health of

sport Sport is a physical activity or game, often Competition, competitive and organization, organized, that maintains or improves physical ability and skills. Sport may provide enjoyment to participants and entertainment to spectators. The numbe ...

military A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...

and

commercial Commercial may refer to: * (adjective for) commerce, a system of voluntary exchange of products and services ** (adjective for) trade, the trading of something of economic value such as goods, services, information or money * a dose of advertising ...

divers and to improve the scientific basis of hyperbaric oxygen

therapy A therapy or medical treatment is the attempted remediation of a health problem, usually following a medical diagnosis. Both words, ''treatment'' and ''therapy'', are often abbreviated tx, Tx, or Tx. As a rule, each therapy has indications a ...

, promote sound treatment protocols and standards of practice and provide CME accreditation within its field.

Indications for hyperbaric oxygen

UHMS definition of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO): The patient breathes 100%

oxygen Oxygen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol O and atomic number 8. It is a member of the chalcogen group (periodic table), group in the periodic table, a highly reactivity (chemistry), reactive nonmetal (chemistry), non ...

intermittently while the

pressure Pressure (symbol: ''p'' or ''P'') is the force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. Gauge pressure (also spelled ''gage'' pressure)The preferred spelling varies by country and eve ...

of the treatment chamber is increased to greater than one atmosphere absolute ( atm abs). Current information indicates that pressurization should be at least 1.4 atm abs. This may occur in a single person chamber (monoplace) or multiplace chamber (may hold 2 or more people). Breathing 100% oxygen at 1 atm abs or exposing isolated parts of the body to 100% oxygen does not constitute HBO therapy. UHMS has 15 approved

uses Use may refer to: * Use (law), an obligation on a person to whom property has been conveyed * Use (liturgy), subset of a Christian liturgical ritual family used by a particular group or diocese * Use–mention distinction, the distinction betwee ...

for HBOT as of 2025: # Air or

gas embolism An air embolism, also known as a gas embolism, is a blood vessel blockage caused by one or more bubbles of air or other gas in the circulatory system. Air can be introduced into the circulation during surgical procedures, lung over-expansion i ...

; #

Carbon monoxide poisoning Carbon monoxide poisoning typically occurs from breathing in carbon monoxide (CO) at excessive levels. Symptoms are often described as " flu-like" and commonly include headache, dizziness, weakness, vomiting, chest pain, and confusion. Large ...

including that complicated by

cyanide poisoning Cyanide poisoning is poisoning that results from exposure to any of a number of forms of cyanide. Early symptoms include headache, dizziness, fast heart rate, shortness of breath, and vomiting. This phase may then be followed by seizures, slo ...

; # Clostridal myositis and

myonecrosis Necrosis () is a form of cell injury which results in the premature death of cells in living tissue by autolysis. The term "necrosis" came about in the mid-19th century and is commonly attributed to German pathologist Rudolf Virchow, who i ...

(

gas gangrene Gas gangrene (also known as clostridial myonecrosis) is a bacterial infection that produces tissue gas in gangrene. This deadly form of gangrene usually is caused by '' Clostridium perfringens'' bacteria. About 1,000 cases of gas gangrene are r ...

); # Crush injury,

compartment syndrome Compartment syndrome is a serious medical condition in which increased pressure within a Fascial compartment, body compartment compromises blood flow and tissue function, potentially leading to permanent damage if not promptly treated. There are ...

, and other acute traumatic ischemias; #

Decompression sickness Decompression sickness (DCS; also called divers' disease, the bends, aerobullosis, and caisson disease) is a medical condition caused by dissolved gases emerging from Solution (chemistry), solution as bubbles inside the body tissues during D ...

; #

Central retinal artery occlusion Central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) is a disease of the eye where the flow of blood through the central retinal artery is blocked (occluded). There are several different causes of this occlusion; the most common is carotid artery atheroscle ...

and enhancement of healing in selected problem wounds due to insufficient arterial blood flow, including the

diabetic foot A diabetic foot disease is any condition that results directly from peripheral artery disease (PAD) or sensory neuropathy affecting the feet of people living with diabetes. Diabetic foot conditions can be acute or chronic complications of diab ...

; # Exceptional blood loss (

anemia Anemia (also spelt anaemia in British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen. This can be due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin availabl ...

); # Intracranial abscess; #

Necrotizing Necrosis () is a form of cell injury which results in the premature death of cells in living tissue by autolysis. The term "necrosis" came about in the mid-19th century and is commonly attributed to German pathologist Rudolf Virchow, who is ...

soft tissue infections (

necrotizing fasciitis Necrotizing fasciitis (NF), also known as flesh-eating disease, is an infection that kills the body's soft tissue. It is a serious disease that begins and spreads quickly. Symptoms include red or purple or black skin, swelling, severe pain, fever ...

); #

Osteomyelitis Osteomyelitis (OM) is the infectious inflammation of bone marrow. Symptoms may include pain in a specific bone with overlying redness, fever, and weakness. The feet, spine, and hips are the most commonly involved bones in adults. The cause is ...

(refractory); #Delayed

radiation injury Acute radiation syndrome (ARS), also known as radiation sickness or radiation poisoning, is a collection of health effects that are caused by being exposed to high amounts of ionizing radiation in a short period of time. Symptoms can start wit ...

(soft tissue and

bony Bony may refer to: * Adjective relating to bone People * Bony Dashaco, Cameroonian businessman * Bony King, Belgian singer-songwriter * Bony Pierre (born 1991), Haitian footballer * Bony Ramirez (born 1996), Dominican-born American painter and ...

necrosis); #

Skin grafts Skin is the layer of usually soft, flexible outer tissue covering the body of a vertebrate animal, with three main functions: protection, regulation, and sensation. Other animal coverings, such as the arthropod exoskeleton, have different d ...

and flaps (compromised); #Thermal

burns Burns may refer to: Astronomy * 2708 Burns, an asteroid * Burns (crater), on Mercury People * Burns (surname), list of people and characters named Burns ** Burns (musician), Scottish record producer Places in the United States * Burns, ...

(early); # Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss; #

Avascular necrosis Avascular necrosis (AVN), also called osteonecrosis or bone infarction, is death of bone tissue due to interruption of the blood supply. Early on, there may be no symptoms. Gradually joint pain may develop, which may limit the person's abilit ...

Training

Medical training in Hyperbaric Medicine occurs through a post graduate medical

fellowship A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned or professional societies, the term refers ...

. Hyperbaric medicine fellowships in the United States are approved by the

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is the body responsible for accrediting all graduate medical training programs —internships, residencies, and fellowships (subspecialty programs) — for physicians in the United ...

(ACGME) under the

American Board of Preventive Medicine The American Board of Preventive Medicine (ABPM) is a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties that issues "certificates of special knowledge" in the specialty of preventive medicine. These certificates are known as "Board Certification ...

(ABPM), the

American Board of Emergency Medicine The American Board of Emergency Medicine (ABEM) is one of 24 medical specialty certification boards recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties. ABEM is a physician-led, non-profit independent organization that certifies residency tr ...

(ABEM), and by the

American Osteopathic Association The American Osteopathic Association (AOA) is the representative member organization for the more than 197,000 osteopathic medical doctors ( D.O.s) and osteopathic medical students in the United States. The AOA is headquartered in Chicago, Illi ...

under the

American Osteopathic Association Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists Established in 1939, the American Osteopathic Association's (AOA) Bureau of Osteopathic Specialists (BOS) is the supervisory body for the AOA's 16 Specialty Certifying Boards in the United States. The BOS establishes and enforces policy for board ...

(AOABOS). The UHMS provides a certificate of added qualification (CAQ) for physicians with an unrestricted license to practice medicine and for limited licensed practitioners, at the completion of the Program for Advanced Training in Hyperbaric Medicine (PATH). Training and certification for hyperbaric technology is also offered by the National Board of Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Technology.

Library

The UHMS Charles W. Shilling Library is the largest repository of diving and

research and clinical information—current and historical—in the world. The

library A library is a collection of Book, books, and possibly other Document, materials and Media (communication), media, that is accessible for use by its members and members of allied institutions. Libraries provide physical (hard copies) or electron ...

is located at the

Duke University Duke University is a Private university, private research university in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity, North Carolina, Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1 ...

Medical Center (DUMC) Library in Durham, NC. The collection consists of

book A book is a structured presentation of recorded information, primarily verbal and graphical, through a medium. Originally physical, electronic books and audiobooks are now existent. Physical books are objects that contain printed material, ...

s, journals,

reports A report is a document or a statement that presents information in an organized format for a specific audience and purpose. Although summaries of reports may be delivered orally, complete reports are usually given in the form of written documen ...

workshop Beginning with the Industrial Revolution era, a workshop may be a room, rooms or building which provides both the area and tools (or machinery) that may be required for the manufacture or repair of manufactured goods. Workshops were the only ...

s, symposia, conference

proceedings In academia and librarianship, conference proceedings are a collection of academic papers published in the context of an academic conference or workshop. Conference proceedings typically contain the contributions made by researchers at the confer ...

, and annotated bibliographies spanning the fields of

, hyperbaric, and marine medicine. There is a small journal and newsletter collection dealing with diving safety and diving medicine. The library has extensive reprint files of articles, cataloged by

author In legal discourse, an author is the creator of an original work that has been published, whether that work exists in written, graphic, visual, or recorded form. The act of creating such a work is referred to as authorship. Therefore, a sculpt ...

, related to diving and hyperbaric medicine and dating back to the 1930s. Many of the UHMS publications have been scanned and are available online at the

Rubicon Research Repository Rubicon Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit organization devoted to contributing to the interdependent dynamic between research, exploration, science and education. The foundation, started in 2002, is located in Durham, North Carolina and is primari ...

. Other articles can be found in the DUMC

Archive An archive is an accumulation of historical records or materials, in any medium, or the physical facility in which they are located. Archives contain primary source documents that have accumulated over the course of an individual or organ ...

finding aid A finding aid, in the context of archival science and archival research, is an organization tool, a document containing detailed and processed metadata and other information about a specific collection of records within an archive. Finding aids ...

References

External links

Undersea and Hyperbaric Medical SocietyHBO evidence
*
Duke University Medical Center Archives
{{Authority control Underwater diving medicine organizations Underwater diving organizations Hyperbaric medicine Medical associations based in the United States Medical and health organizations based in North Carolina Organizations based in Durham, North Carolina zh:高壓氧治療