Mon Health Foundation Receives Gift to Begin COVID-19 Hyperbaric Oxygen Study at Mon Health Medical Center

The Mon Health Foundation received a generous donation of $50,000 from Susan and Randolph Reynolds of Richmond, Virginia in support of a hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBO) study for COVID-19 patient treatment to be conducted at Mon Health Medical Center. Prior investigative work suggests HBO therapy may positively impact outcomes of COVID-19 patients if used prior to respiratory failure.  A primary outcome measure of the study is to ease or eliminate the demand for ventilators thus decreasing mortality which ranges from 60-89% once on a ventilator.

“Lung decompensation from the COVID-19 disease has proven very difficult to manage. Recent reviews, however, suggest HBO therapy may also be effective in reducing inflammatory markers and inflammation, a major cause of morbidity,” noted Dr. Gregory Nelcamp, Mon Health Senior Vice President of Clinical Affairs.

Utilizing a study protocol closely aligned with NYU Langone, the Mon Health Medical Center will study patients in the early stages of pulmonary distress resulting from COVID-19 lung disease.   Patients will be provided up to six hyperbaric oxygen treatments at two atmospheres for 90 minutes each. Forty patients, in collaboration with other regional providers, will be identified to complete the first round of the study. Patient response will determine the need for follow-up treatments.

Infectious Disease Specialist and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy provider, Dr. Dino Delaportas, will serve as the study principal investigator. Dr. Joseph Maroon from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has agreed to participate in the role of study consultant.

“Our response efforts to the COVID-19 pandemic have been nothing short of vigilant,” explained Mon Health President and CEO, David Goldberg. “Participating in this study enables us to continue serving local patients and presents the opportunity to potentially help COVID-19 patients across the country. We thank Mr. Reynolds, the Reynolds family and Dr. Maroon for their support and leadership in advancing care opportunities. As the region’s sole hyperbaric medicine provider, we are honored and humbled to have a partnership that endorses Mon Health’s leadership in community-focused care making THE difference for each and every patient always.”

Currently, there are at least two other centers that have been granted approval to complete similar studies, including NYU Langone and the Karolinska Hospital in partnership with UCSD.

Randolph Reynolds is one of the founding Principals of Reynolds Development Company. Reynolds Development Company was founded in 2001 and is a private development and management company which specializes in Class A office and medical buildings.