Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in chronic vascular wound management.

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Wound Healing Research
• Hyperbaric Medicine

Background:

• Nonhealing tissues often exhibit hypoxia (low oxygen levels), disrupting normal healing processes and impairing immune function.
• Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is investigated as a method to supply necessary oxygen to initiate and sustain wound healing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy in patients with nonhealing wounds.
• To determine the predictive value of transcutaneous oxygen measurements (TCPO2) under hyperbaric conditions for wound healing outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A prospective study involving 20 patients with nonhealing wounds (9 chronic arterial insufficiency ulcers, 11 diabetic foot lesions).
• Patients received adjunctive HBO therapy with pure oxygen at 2.5 ATA for 90 minutes, twice daily.
• Transcutaneous oxygen measurements (distal TCPO2) were taken under hyperbaric conditions to assess predictive value.

Main Results:

• Complete healing was observed in 15 out of 20 patients (75% success rate).
• Distal TCPO2 values at 2.5 ATA pure oxygen reliably predicted the final outcome.
• Patients with distal TCPO2 < 100 mmHg showed no improvement or aggravation, while those with TCPO2 > 100 mmHg achieved complete wound healing.

Conclusions:

• Adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy is effective for managing nonhealing wounds, including chronic arterial insufficiency ulcers and diabetic foot lesions.
• Distal transcutaneous oxygen measurements under hyperbaric conditions serve as a reliable predictor of wound healing success.