Common femoral artery doppler findings pre and post hyperbaric oxygen therapy for leg ulceration

Abstract

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) assumes that high pressure hyperoxygenation causes faster tissue recovery and wound healing. Lower extremity flow rates are affected by leg ulcers that change vasodilation, microcirculation resistance, and local tissue demands; how blood hyper oxygenation influences these factors is still unclear. Peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD) has been mostly associated with HBOT results in the femoral artery than in other arteries. Common femoral artery (CFA) peak systolic velocities (PSV), measured pre and post HBOT, were analyzed to research HBOT hemodynamics. Sixteen patients with leg ulcers who were 65 ± 11 (SD) (38-87) years-old, had HBOT of 90 minutes at 2.6 ATA. Bilateral CFA Doppler velocity waveforms were recorded immediately pre and post HBOT. Ulcerated vs non-ulcerated peak systolic velocity (PSV) data were compared using paired t-test. CFA PSV were significantly equal in the ulcerated and non-ulcerated extremities before HBOT: 114 ± 35 (SD) cm/s vs 116 ± 41 cm/s (p = 0.87 by paired t-test). CFA PSV in the ulcerated extremity increased to 122 ± 35 cm/s after HBOT but were statistically insignificant (p =.19 by one-tailed paired t-test). On the other hand, CFA PSV decreased to 103 ± 28 cm/s (p =.049 by one-tailed paired t-test) in the non-ulcerated extremity and were significantly lower after HBOT, with 103 ± 28 cm/s vs 122 ± 35 cm/s for the ulcerated limb (p =.02 by paired t-test). Blood velocity responses post HBOT showed differences between ulcerated vs non-ulcerated extremities. The non-ulcerated extremity apparently responded to oxygenation more than the ulcerated extremity. Such observation suggests further research on hemodynamic reactions caused by HBOT.