Dr. Sebastián Melderberg, a general surgeon and specialist in bariatric surgery, has been part of the Biobarica network since 2024. He currently practices in Santa Rosa, La Pampa, where he leads Pampa Hiperbárica, integrating hyperbaric oxygen therapy as a complementary tool in the surgical management of his patients.

 

With experience in surgeries of varying complexity and in the treatment of patients with multiple pathologies, Dr. Melderberg has incorporated hyperbaric therapy in both the preoperative and postoperative stages, observing significant improvements in tissue recovery, clinical evolution, and overall patient well-being.

 

Surgical recovery: a challenge beyond technique

 

Postoperative recovery is one of the greatest challenges in modern surgery. Even when a procedure is performed with impeccable technique, multiple variables influence patient outcomes—factors that do not depend solely on the surgical act itself.

 

From a clinical perspective, one of the most relevant factors is biological individuality. Each patient responds differently, even when facing the same diagnosis or undergoing the same surgery. For this reason, therapeutic approaches must be personalized and adapted to each patient’s real conditions.

 

“Each patient, even when they seem similar, is different. Our job is to adapt the treatment like tailors, offering the best possible approach based on what we find in each case.”

 

The central role of oxygenation in tissue recovery

 

Oxygenation plays a key role in healing and tissue recovery processes. Factors such as smoking, obesity, metabolic disorders, or age directly affect the body’s ability to regenerate after surgery.

 

“The importance of tissue oxygenation is not fully understood until you start working with hyperbaric therapy and see real changes in patients.”

 

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy optimizes this fundamental aspect by increasing oxygen delivery to tissues, promoting more efficient recovery both before and after surgical procedures.

 

Clinical benefits in simple and complex surgeries

 

In daily practice, hyperbaric therapy has proven particularly valuable in complex pathologies, such as severe infections, abscesses, perianal fistulas, or conditions that are difficult to manage therapeutically, where recovery times are often prolonged.

 

“In complex conditions, where treatments used to be long and challenging, we now see much more favorable outcomes thanks to hyperbaric oxygenation.”

 

However, its benefits are not limited to these cases. Even in minimally invasive surgeries—where patients seek faster recovery, less pain, and better functional and aesthetic outcomes—hyperbaric therapy helps accelerate healing times and improves the postoperative experience.

 

An impact that goes beyond surgical tissue

 

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy does not act only on the wound or the skin. Its effects are systemic, benefiting the body as a whole. Many patients leave the operating room with varying degrees of hypoxemia, which affects their overall recovery.

 

“It’s not just the skin or the wound—there is an entire system behind it that improves when we optimize patient oxygenation.”

 

This approach is especially relevant in patients with obesity, renal insufficiency, or chronic diseases, where improving oxygenation can reduce complications and support better clinical outcomes.

 

Toward a new standard in surgical practice

 

From an integrative perspective, hyperbaric therapy is emerging as a high-value complementary tool in modern surgery. Its application in the preoperative period—a historically underestimated stage—allows for better patient preparation by optimizing their biological condition before surgery.

 

“I would love to be able to implement it in all patients. To a greater or lesser extent, everyone benefits.”

 

Clinical experience shows that hyperbaric therapy not only accelerates recovery but also contributes to a systematic improvement in overall patient health.