Chondronecrosis of the cricoid treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy: A case series

We present two cases of cricoid chondronecrosis treated with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO₂) therapy. Both patients presented with biphasic stridor and dyspnea several weeks after an intubation event. Tracheostomy was ultimately performed for airway protection, followed by antibiotic treatment and outpatient HBO₂ therapy. Both patients were decannulated within six months of presentation and after at least 20 HBO₂ therapy sessions. Despite a small sample size, our findings are consistent with data supporting HBO₂ therapy's effects on tissue edema, neovascularization, and HBO₂ potentiation of antibiotic treatment and leukocyte function. We suggest HBO₂ therapy may have accelerated airway decannulation by way of infection resolution as well as the revitalization of upper airway tissues, ultimately renewing the structural integrity of the larynx. When presented with this rare but significant clinical challenge, physicians should be aware of the potential benefits of HBO₂ therapy.