Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: An Effective and Noninvasive Therapy for Complications of Ear Reconstruction

Although complications of ear reconstruction are rare, common salvage procedures involve invasive surgery, and final outcomes can be uncertain. In this study, the authors have successfully applied noninvasive hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) as an adjunct treatment for the complications of ear reconstruction.

During a 2-year period, 42 patients with complications of ear reconstruction were included in the study. All patients received HBOT twice a day for 2 to 3 courses, and each course lasted for 10 days.

Patients suffered from 4 different complications: hematoma (15), flap venous congestion (13), frame exposure (10), and postoperative infection (4). After HBOT, 41 patients recovered without a need for additional surgical repair. One patient developed an infection and required further treatment.

Combined with traditional salvage procedures, HBOT effectively treated various complications of ear reconstruction.