What is the difference between a monoplace and multiplace hyperbaric chamber?

A monoplace chamber holds one patient and is pressurized with 100% oxygen. A multiplace chamber holds 2-12 patients, is pressurized with air, and patients breathe 100% oxygen through a mask or hood. Medical staff can be inside a multiplace chamber with patients, which monoplace chambers don't allow.

Which type of hyperbaric chamber is better?

Neither is universally better. For routine outpatient wound care and most FDA-approved indications, both deliver equivalent clinical results. Multiplace chambers are preferred for critically ill patients, children, and patients who need a medical attendant inside the chamber. Monoplace chambers are more common in the US and work well for stable outpatient patients.

Is a monoplace chamber more claustrophobic?

Generally yes. A monoplace chamber is a single-patient acrylic tube. Multiplace chambers feel more like a room. Patients with significant claustrophobia often do better in multiplace chambers. Ask your facility which type they have before your first session.

Is monoplace HBOT more dangerous because it uses pure oxygen?

Monoplace chambers use 100% oxygen as the pressurizing gas, which does create elevated fire risk compared to air-pressurized multiplace chambers. However, monoplace chambers are designed with strict fire safety protocols. No metal, open flames, or spark sources are permitted inside. Both chamber types have strong safety records when operated by trained staff.

Monoplace vs. Multiplace Hyperbaric Chamber: What’s the Difference?

Most patients getting HBOT have no idea what kind of chamber they’ll be in until they arrive. For routine outpatient treatment, the type often doesn’t matter much. But for anxious patients, children, critically ill patients, and anyone on life support, the distinction matters a lot.

How Each Type Works

Monoplace chambers hold one patient. The chamber itself is pressurized with 100% oxygen — the patient breathes the oxygen that fills the chamber, not through a separate mask. They look like a large acrylic tube. You lie inside while staff operate the controls from outside. Communication happens through an intercom. Staff can see you through the clear acrylic throughout the session.

Standard treatment pressures for monoplace chambers run 2.0 to 3.0 ATA. The session typically lasts 90 minutes. You’ll experience pressure changes similar to descending in an airplane — ear equalization is needed.

Multiplace chambers hold anywhere from 2 to 12 patients. The chamber is pressurized with air, not oxygen. Patients breathe 100% oxygen through a tight-fitting mask or a transparent hood called an oxygen hood. The distinction matters for fire safety — an air-pressurized chamber is substantially safer from a fire-risk standpoint than a 100% oxygen environment.

Medical staff can enter a multiplace chamber and remain inside during treatment. This is the key clinical advantage. A nurse, respiratory therapist, or physician can monitor patients directly, manage IV lines, or assist a patient who’s struggling — inside the pressurized environment.

Clinical Differences That Matter

For a stable adult outpatient coming in for diabetic wound care, the chamber type makes almost no practical difference. Both deliver the same treatment gas (100% O2) to the patient’s lungs at the same pressures. Outcomes are equivalent.

The difference shows up in specific patient populations.

Critically ill patients — particularly ICU patients on ventilators — need the multiplace chamber. Running a ventilator circuit into a monoplace chamber is possible but complicated. Having medical personnel physically present during treatment is much safer for unstable patients.

Pediatric patients do significantly better in multiplace chambers. A parent or trained attendant can be inside with the child. There’s more physical space, which reduces anxiety. Ear equalization issues in young children can be managed in real time by an inside attendant rather than communicated through an intercom.

Patients on life support or with complex monitoring needs are better served by multiplace chambers for the same reason — someone with relevant training can be physically present.

For routine outpatient conditions, monoplace is fine and is far more common in the US market.

Fire Safety

Monoplace chambers create elevated fire risk because the pressurizing gas is 100% oxygen. No metal objects, spark sources, or open flames can enter the chamber. Patients wear cotton gowns provided by the facility. Personal electronics, jewelry, and synthetic fabrics are prohibited. These protocols are standard and well-established.

Multiplace chambers, pressurized with air, have lower inherent fire risk. Patients still breathe 100% oxygen through a mask or hood, but the surrounding environment is air, not oxygen. If something ignites, it’s not inside an oxygen-rich atmosphere.

Both chamber types have strong safety records. The fire risk in monoplace chambers is controlled through strict protocols, not ignored. But multiplace chambers do have a meaningful safety advantage in that dimension.

Cost and Availability

Multiplace chambers are more expensive to build and operate. They require more physical space and more staff. They’re found primarily at larger hospital systems, academic medical centers, and specialized hyperbaric centers.

Monoplace chambers are cheaper to install and run. They’re common at hospital outpatient wound care centers, freestanding hyperbaric clinics, and military facilities. In the US, the majority of clinical HBOT is delivered in monoplace chambers.

If you need multiplace capability — for a child, for a complex medical situation — call ahead and confirm the facility has it before scheduling. Not all do.

Questions to Ask Your Facility

Before your first session, ask what type of chamber the facility uses. Ask whether multiplace is available if you have a specific reason to prefer it. Ask about the fire safety protocol and what you’ll need to wear.

If you’re claustrophobic, explicitly ask for a multiplace chamber if the facility has one. The difference in how treatment feels is real.

FAQ

Does insurance care which type of chamber I use? No. Insurance coverage is based on the condition being treated and whether HBOT is medically necessary — not the chamber type.

Can I switch chamber types mid-protocol? If you start in a monoplace and find it intolerable, ask your care team about alternatives. If the facility has multiplace capability, switching is usually possible. If not, they may be able to refer you to a facility that does.

Are soft chambers (1.3 ATA) the same as monoplace chambers? No. Soft chambers are consumer-grade inflatable chambers that operate at 1.3 to 1.5 ATA with filtered air, not oxygen. They’re marketed for wellness use. They’re not medical-grade equipment and can’t treat FDA-approved indications. Medical-grade monoplace chambers operate at 2.0 to 3.0 ATA with 100% oxygen — a completely different class of equipment.

Medical Disclaimer: This page provides general information about hyperbaric chamber types. It is not medical advice. The appropriate chamber for your treatment is a clinical decision made by your hyperbaric physician based on your condition and individual needs.