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Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy
Involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized room or chamber. The increased oxygen levels can enhance the body's natural healing processes, particularly for diabetic foot ulcers, radiation injuries, and ischemic wounds.
How HBOT Works:
During an HBOT session, the patient breathes pure oxygen in a chamber where the air pressure is increased to higher than normal levels. This concentrated oxygen flow allows the body’s tissues to absorb more oxygen than under regular conditions, promoting cell regeneration and reducing swelling. HBOT is typically used as an adjunctive treatment, meaning it works alongside other wound care methods to optimize healing.
Accelerated Wound Healing
HBOT helps speed up the healing of chronic wounds, including diabetic foot ulcers, pressure sores, and radiation injuries
Reduced Risk of Amputation
By improving blood flow and tissue health, HBOT can significantly lower the risk of amputations in patients with severe, non-healing wounds.
Enhanced Infection Control
The increased oxygen levels help strengthen the body's defense mechanisms, making it more effective at combating bacteria and other pathogens.
Studies
Reduced Amputation Rates
A systematic review and meta-analysis published in Diabetes Care (2013) evaluated the effects of HBOT on diabetic foot ulcers. The study concluded that HBOT significantly increased the likelihood of healing in chronic diabetic foot ulcers compared to standard wound care alone.
Key Findings: Patients who received HBOT had a significantly higher rate of complete healing and a reduced risk of major amputation.
Citation: Kranke P, Bennett M, Roeckl-Wiedmann I, Debus S. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for chronic wounds. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15106239/
Increased Healing Rates
In a randomized controlled trial (RCT) published in Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice (2010), 94 patients with DFUs were divided into HBOT and control groups.
The study showed that 66% of patients in the HBOT group achieved complete healing, compared to 27% in the control group.
Conclusion: HBOT improved healing outcomes for chronic DFUs, showing promise as a complementary treatment.
Citation: Löndahl M, Katzman P, Nilsson A, Hammarlund C. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy facilitates healing of chronic foot ulcers in patients with diabetes. Diabetes
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20427683/
Healing of Pressure Ulcers
An RCT published in Advances in Skin & Wound Care (2015) assessed the impact of HBOT on patients with stage 3 and 4 pressure ulcers. The results indicated that HBOT led to significant improvement in
wound healing.
Outcome: Pressure ulcers treated with HBOT healed faster, and patients reported decreased pain levels.
Conditions Treated with HBOT:
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Chronic Non-Healing Wounds
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Diabetic Foot Ulcers
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Radiation Tissue Damage
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Compromised Skin Grafts and Flaps
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Burns and Crush Injuries
Recent studies have shown positive outcomes for HBOT in various types of wounds. For instance, a systematic review of patients with necrotizing soft tissue infections found that those who received HBOT had a significantly lower mortality rate (10.6% compared to 25.6% in non-HBOT groups). The therapy was also linked to fewer complications, such as sepsis and multi-organ dysfunction, demonstrating its potential to improve clinical outcomes in severe infections.
In cases of traumatic soft tissue injuries, studies have reported that HBOT can promote complete wound recovery. For example, one study showed a healing rate of 94% in HBOT-treated patients compared to 56% in a control group. Additionally, the incidence of tissue necrosis and infections was markedly reduced in the HBOT group, which also had a lower need for additional surgical interventions.
For detailed information on these studies, you can refer to the original sources: