Clinical Effectiveness of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Complex Wounds

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Wound healing
• Hyperbaric medicine

Background:

• Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) therapy is a non-invasive treatment with a 50-year history of adjuvant use in various medical conditions.
• Specific protocols exist for indicated conditions, but its role in complex wound management requires evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical effectiveness of Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) therapy as an adjunctive treatment for patients with complex wounds.
• To assess the impact of HBO on wound size reduction and healing rates.

Main Methods:

• A prospective cohort study included 40 patients with complex wounds (mean age 59.73, wounds ≥ 6 months old).
• Patients received HBO therapy with 100% oxygen at 2.0-2.4 ATA for 90 minutes.
• Wound size was assessed by a surgeon before, during, and for 12 months post-treatment.

Main Results:

• 77.5% of patients (31/40) achieved wound healing.
• Significant average wound size reduction of 29.7% after 5 HBO treatments (p < 0.000001) and an additional 16.9% after 10 treatments (p = 0.0002).
• Two orocutaneous fistulas closed completely without surgery; no complications were reported.

Conclusions:

• Hyperbaric Oxygen (HBO) therapy is an effective and safe treatment modality for accelerating the healing of complex wounds.
• The most significant wound size reduction occurs within the first 10 HBO treatments, emphasizing the importance of uninterrupted initial therapy.
• HBO therapy promotes wound healing and offers a non-surgical option for specific complex wound types.