Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for transient bone marrow oedema syndrome of the hip

Transient bone marrow oedema syndrome of the proximal femur is characterized by acute, progressive pain in the hip that is increased by weight-bearing. Treatment includes restricted weight-bearing and analgesic medication. A prospective, randomized study was performed to compare two groups of patients affected by bone marrow oedema syndrome of the femoral head. 20 patients received pharmacological and hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and a control group of 21 patients received pharmacological therapy alone. The overall average WOMAC score at 3 months was significantly higher (p<0.001) for the hyperbaric oxygen group (70.8 points) compared with the control group (56.4 points). Magnetic Resonance Imaging at 3 months showed resolution of bone marrow oedema in 55.0% of the patients treated with hyperbaric oxygen compared with 28% in the control group. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy appears to be effective in treating transient bone marrow oedema syndrome, resulting in an accelerated recovery of hip function compared to pharmacological therapy alone.