Therapeutic hyperbaric oxygen: help or hindrance in burn patients with carbon monoxide poisoning?

Although its efficacy is unproved, administration of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) for the treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning is often carried out to prevent the development of acute and delayed neurologic sequelae. In burn patients with carbon monoxide poisoning the value of HBO also is unproved. This review of the clinical course of ten such patients showed major complications during the course of treatment: two patients suffered from eustachian tube occlusion, two patients had episodes of aspiration, one patient had seizure activity, and severe hypocalcemia developed in another. Progressive hypovolemia was seen in three patients; respiratory acidosis was evident in four. There were three episodes of cardiac dysrhythmia. Seven of the ten patients survived. The authors state that the efficacy of HBO in carbon monoxide poisoning must be studied further. Based on their experience and a review of the literature, they contend that important delayed neurologic sequelae are rare, and further, that they occur and resolve with or without HBO. Multicenter randomized clinical trials with controlled follow-up are needed to assess the actual incidence of neuropsychiatric sequelae and to evaluate the efficacy of HBO.