Soft Sided Hyperbaric Chamber: What It Is And How To Choose One

There is no single name for a soft hyperbaric oxygen chamber in English. Different people and different product pages use different terms. The most common term for equipment that is also a flexible cabin and can be folded and stored is soft hyperbaric chamber. Many people also say soft shell hyperbaric chamber, or write it as softshell hyperbaric chamber; soft-sided hyperbaric chamber with a hyphen and soft-sided hyperbaric chamber written separately also refer to the same thing. If it is emphasized that there is oxygen in it, the terms soft hyperbaric oxygen chamber, soft shell hyperbaric oxygen chamber, and soft shell oxygen chamber will all appear. Some people also have the habit of reversing the word order and saying it as hyperbaric soft chamber, soft chamber hyperbaric or hyperbaric oxygen soft chamber; to highlight that it is supported by inflation, they will use inflatable hyperbaric chamber and inflatable hyperbaric oxygen chamber; the most colloquial one in daily life, simply call it hyperbaric chamber bag. There seem to be many names, but in fact they all refer to the issue of soft-compression high-pressure oxygen chambers, but there is no unified industry name for materials and forms among them.

What pressure does the soft compartment rely on

The most fundamental difference between a soft hyperbaric oxygen chamber and a hard chamber is that the pressure-bearing structure is flexible. It does not use rigid shells such as stainless steel or acrylic, but relies on flexible fabric to make the cabin. The number of material layers, valve design and rated pressure may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Several common soft cabins are made of TPU, with weights starting from more than ten kilograms. In addition, the cabin can be folded and does not take up much space when stored, which is also an important reason why it is suitable for home use.

The cabin plus compressor and oxygen generator is a complete system

A soft hyperbaric oxygen chamber is not just that soft shell. The air compressor pushes the filtered air into the cabin to form pressure, the automatic valve is responsible for stabilizing the pressure, and the oxygen generator provides oxygen with a concentration of more than 93%. Only when the three parts work together can it be considered pressurization and oxygen supply. The standard equipment of soft compartment models usually includes an oxygen concentrator, air compressor and air cooler. Because of these requirements, you can’t just focus on the cabin itself when purchasing.

How to view pressure specifications

The pressure specifications of the soft compartment generally fall into the 1.3 ATA, 1.4 ATA or 1.5 ATA levels, depending on the model. There’s an easy pit to step on: a little higher pressure doesn’t automatically mean better or safer treatment. When comparing different models, you should check the normal working pressure, maximum allowable working pressure and pressure relief setting pressure at the same time, and don’t just take a number and draw conclusions.

The soft compartment and clinical hyperbaric oxygen must be separated

This boundary must be clearly stated. In the 2023 definition of clinical hyperbaric oxygen, UHMS requires patients to be in a hard compartment that meets the corresponding pressure vessel and fire safety regulations, breathing medical-grade oxygen at a pressure of not less than 2.0 ATA. The commonly used clinical pressure range is 2.0 to 3.0 ATA; while exposures below 1.4 ATA and pressurized with air are excluded from the definition of therapeutic hyperbaric oxygen. The pressure level of the soft chamber is as high as 1.5 ATA, which is far below this threshold. It is a low-pressure or lightly pressurized product. This type is often called mild hyperbaric chamber in the market. It cannot be regarded as a clinical hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber just because it has oxygen or HBOT in its name. There is a historically 510(k) licensed portable fabric pod on the U.S. market that is 1.2 ATA or 1.3 ATA pressurized with ambient air and intended for use only in acute altitude sickness. This license does not apply to other brands, models, pressure specifications, or uses.

Check these things when making a purchase

Let’s first look at the purpose and number of people. The soft cabin is available in both recumbent and seated configurations. The single-person ST801 is suitable for one person to lie down, while the widened ST901 can accommodate one adult and one child and is equipped with a transparent window. The seated configurations include the L1, ST1700, and ST2200, with the ST2200 being an extended version that can also accommodate one adult and one child together. If two people need to use it at the same time, there is also a soft multiplayer cabin that can accommodate two people.

As mentioned earlier, don’t just focus on one number when it comes to pressure caliber. The supporting facilities must also be confirmed to be complete, and the cabin, compressor and oxygen generator must all be in place. Safe use cannot be ignored either. An environment with high oxygen concentrations will increase the risk of fire. The operating site must implement corresponding fire fighting and grounding measures, and daily cleaning, maintenance and safety inspections must be completed according to the manufacturer’s prescribed cycle.

After checking these things out, you can buy a soft-sided hyperbaric chamber to really use it.