Making Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy More Accessible

Hyperbaric chamber technology has been around in the world of medicine for 70 years, and most indications for its use were determined back in the 1980s. Over the years, more and more medical uses for hyperbaric chambers are being discovered. Studies indicate a significant benefit in the condition of patients suffering from PTSD, stroke survivors, patients with cognitive impairments, victims of smoke inhalation from fires, sports injuries and diving accidents, and diabetic patients with chronic wounds – when they receive treatment in a hyperbaric chamber.

The need to come to a hospital
Despite the advantages of using hyperbaric chambers, many patients find it hard to get to the hospitals where dedicated departments using this technology have been established over the years. "The current situation is that patients have to travel to the various hospitals, which are often very far from their homes, in order to receive treatment and this makes it very difficult for them," says Boaz Misholi, Chair of Bariks Health. "This is especially challenging for people with various disabilities who cannot leave their home or elderly patients with mobility issues. One has to understand that most hyperbaric chamber treatments in the hospital require daily visits for a period of 50-60 days, so many patients just give up along the way, or don't start the much-needed treatment, despite the devastating consequences of not receiving it."

Make treatment more available
For decades, various groups around the world have tried to create a portable professional hyperbaric chamber. Bariks Health is among the first in the world to succeed, with the help of a revolutionary series of technological solutions to develop portable and compact hyperbaric chambers that can easily be brought to the patient's environment. Unlike the huge hyperbaric chambers found in hospitals, which require the construction of an entire medical wing for them, Bariks Health chambers do not require a physical space larger than a bed, so they can be placed in small clinics, in the field and even in the patient's home. This means that hyperbaric treatment has become much more accessible and can be applied to a variety of needs. "This is especially important in emergency situations such as toxic smoke inhalation in fires, diving accidents, injuries from blasts and explosions, injuries from crushing or mountain climbing accidents, situations where immediate treatment is required in order to save or stabilize the patient's condition," Misholi points out.

Bariks Health was established in 2018 by the entrepreneur and high-tech pioneer Boaz Misholi, former founder of Comverse, Fundtech, ResMed and other companies, Major General (res.) Yedidia Yaari – former commander of the Israel Navy and CEO of Rafael, Major (res.) Amir Shukrun – commander of the Alpine Unit, and Dr. Yehuda Melamed, who founded the field of diving medicine and hyperbaric medicine in Israel, founded the Research Institute for Naval Marine Medicine and is a Colonel in the reserves.

"Currently, there are quite a few inflatable balloons on the market that call themselves hyperbaric chambers, but they are not really comparable to the medical hyperbaric chambers in hospitals," adds Amir Shukrun, the company's CEO. "The professional hyperbaric chambers in hospitals are made of thick steel and reach working pressures of 3 atmospheres. Using Bariks's innovative development, we were able to significantly reduce the size and weight of these chambers, making them fully foldable and portable."

A system that fits into two suitcases
According to Shukrun, "What Bariks Health does is much more than the production of compact and portable hyperbaric chambers. We are actually making high-pressure oxygen treatment accessible to all of humanity. This might be a patient with a diabetic foot who receives treatment from a paramedic at home or in a community clinic, rehabilitation center, professional sports teams, and it can also be immediate treatment due to smoke inhalation, diving accidents, climbing accidents and much more. In the last four years, we have managed to integrate solutions from different disciplines into our product, including inventing one of the strongest transparent materials in the world, the most durable zipper, the most sophisticated turbo compressor, and more. We managed to miniaturize all of this into a system that fits into two suitcases, so that it is accessible to everyone, everywhere." Shukrun asserts that "the company's chamber body technology withstands tremendous pressures and we have also put a lot of effort into the human engineering aspect so that patients can choose the position that is most comfortable for them – from sitting upright to lying down. All of this is accompanied by an innovative software layer that makes it possible to create personalized treatment plans, and at the same time to increase product safety through sensors and tests that provide extensive information about the treatment process." At the present time, Bariks Health has completed the technological development phase and is now working on regulatory aspects to obtain European MDR and American FDA approval, all while establishing the first production line for its hyperbaric chambers.

Another special feature of the company is its decision to open its offices in the Gaza Perimeter – in the Sapirim Industrial Park in Shaar HaNegev. "We chose the Gaza Perimeter because we wanted to bring a high-tech employment center to the region and its high-quality human capital that would raise the standard of living of people there. This happened long before the difficult events in the area, and only now do we understand more how important it is," Misholi says.

"A major part of our story is about a company that was very seriously affected on October 7th, and is producing products that do good for the world and heal people. Nearly everyone in the company was affected by the events of October 7th, whether on a personal or family level. One of our key people, the late Nadav Poplevel, the company's software development manager, was kidnapped with his mother from Kibbutz Nirim and later murdered in captivity. He was an extraordinary man with exceptional abilities and we mourn his passing. Yet everything that happened did not weaken us but on the contrary, has strengthened us and we are more determined than ever to continue building the company in the Gaza Perimeter. You could say that we encountered hell 14 months ago, and it was precisely from that encounter that a product was born that will save lives and also improve the quality of life for many people. This story has become our life's mission."

What is the status of your activity?
"The development and work on the idea and the product began about five years ago. Throughout the project we received substantial help and support from the Innovation Authority. Today we are at the end of developing the first hyperbaric chamber. We are preparing to launch in the market in mid-2025, and in fact have already received a first order for 10 units. Our projection is to produce and market thousands of hyperbaric chambers per year and reach as many people as possible who need treatment."

Bariks Health
Year established: 2018
Founders: Boaz Misholi, Yedidia Yaari, Amir Shukrun and Dr. Yehuda Melamed
Field of activity: Development of small, portable hyperbaric chambers
Guiding motto: To make hyperbaric oxygen therapy accessible to humanity

To the company website<<