[Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis]

Radiation therapy has widely been used for cancers in the pelvis. Radiation cystitis, one of the late complications, presents often as hemorrhagic cystitis, which is refractory to the conventional therapy and may threaten the patient's life. We used hyperbaric oxygen therapy on patients with radiation cystitis to test its potential benifit.

Ten patients aged from 46 to 81 years with a mean of 62 years underwent one or more courses of hyperbaric oxygen therapy according to their symptoms, consisting of 20 sessions (3 to 5 sessions a week) at the Department of Hyperbaric Medicine, the University of the Ryukyus Hospital in the 9-year period from 1985 to 1994. They included 8 patients having a history of cervical cancer, one with external genital cancer and one with vaginal cancer. During the 75 min hyperbaric oxygen therapy patients received 100% oxygen at 2 absolute atmosphere pressure in the Multiplace Hyperbaric Chamber.

Hematuria subsided and subjective symptoms including urinary frequency improved in seven patients. Cystoscopic findings including mucosal edema, redness, and capillary dilation were partially improved. The procedure subjectively and objectively palliated the 10 patients in a favorable manner.

To date we have not armed any active procedure to control radiation-induced refractory hemorrhagic cystitis in terms of efficacy, invasiveness, and adverse effects. Therefore, in consideration of our clinical results, hyperbaric oxygen therapy appears to be useful for radiation cystitis.