Role Of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy Research Articles

Which Role for Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in the Treatment of Fournier's Gangrene? A Retrospective Study.

PurposeIn Fournier's gangrene, surgical debridement plus antimicrobial therapy is the mainstay of treatment but can cause a great loss of tissue. The disease needs long hospital stays and, despite all, has a high mortality rate. The aim of our study is to investigate if factors, such as hyperbaric therapy, can offer an improvement in prognosis.MethodsWe retrospectively evaluated data on 23 consecutive patients admitted for Fournier's gangrene at the University Hospital “P. Giaccone” of Palermo from 2011 to 2018. Factors related to length of hospital stay and mortality were examined.ResultsMortality occurred in three patients (13.1%) and was correlated with the delay between admission and surgical operation [1.7 days (C.I. 0.9–3.5) in patients who survived vs. 6.8 days (C.I. 3.5–13.4) in patients who died (p = 0.001)]. Hospital stay was longer in patients treated with hyperbaric oxygen therapy [mean 11 (C.I. 0.50–21.89) vs. mean 25 (C.I. 18.02–31.97); p = 0.02] without an improvement in survival (p = 1.00).ConclusionOur study proves that a delay in the treatment of patients with Fournier's gangrene has a correlation with the mortality rate, while the use of hyperbaric oxygen therapy seems to not improve the survival rate, increasing the hospital stay instead.

Penile Glans Necrosis Following Prostatic Artery Embolization for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Case Series and Review of Current Literature.

To report a case series of 6 patients with penile glans necrosis (PGN) following prostatic artery embolization (PAE) and review the current literature relating to PAE and PGN, including the emerging role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) for PGN. All patients have failed medical BPH therapy and chose to undergo PAE over other minimally invasive BPH surgery. Patient demographics, preoperative and postoperative validated questionnaires such as the International Prostate Symptom Severity (IPSS) and International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) scores, treatment-related adverse events (TRAE) and subsequent treatment for PGN were reviewed. All patients were follow-up with a minimum of 12 months post-PAE. Between January 2018 and June 2020, six males with a mean age of 52.3 years (44-66 y) received PAE for BPH therapy. An immediate postoperative PGN was recognised in 4 out of 6 patients with the mean penile glans pain score of 3 and 4 patients reported altered penile glans sensitivity. Comparing the mean (and median) IPSS and IIEF-5 scores were 16.5 (16) and 21.3 (21) pre-PAE, there was improvements in IPSS and IIEF-5 scores at 12.0 (12) and 18.0 (18) at 12 months review. All patients reported normal penile glans sensitivity and only 1 patient reported an on-going penile glans pain (score 2). Four patients received HBOT while 2 patients elected for conservative care. All patients reported worse erectile function scores despite complete resolution of PGN. PGN is a rare but serious complication of PAE with ensuing erectile dysfunction. HBOT appears to expedite the recovery process in men with PGN related to PAE with better erection scores compared to conservative measure.

The role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in septic shock: is it time for human studies?

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition for which new therapies are needed. The objective of this literature review was to compile evidence related to the use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy in sepsis. The goal of this analysis was to determine whether human trials are indicated. The study was designed as a narrative review of literature for studies of HBO2 therapy in sepsis. Literature was reviewed to understand potentially beneficial and harmful clinical and physiological effects of HBO2 therapy in animals with sepsis. HBO2 has several physiologic mechanisms which may be beneficial in sepsis, including restoration of mitochondrial function, improved microvascular function and organ perfusion, decreased capillary leak, improved cytokine profile, direct antimicrobial effects, and enhanced antibiotic function. The studies reviewed suggest that HBO2 therapy may be most effective if administered early and in high doses. Animal trials also show that HBO2 may provide protection to the gut mucosa by preventing bacterial translocation in sepsis. HBO2 has a potential to reduce organ failure through novel sepsis mechanisms not used in other therapies. Further human studies should be performed to better elucidate the role of HBO2 in improving sepsis clinical outcomes.

The role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in central retinal artery occlusion

The role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in central retinal artery occlusion

Integrative Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Healthspan, Age-Related Vascular Cognitive Impairment, and Dementia.

Growing life expectancy will contribute to the on-going shift towards a world population increasingly comprised of elderly individuals. This demographic shift is associated with a rising prevalence of age-related diseases, among all age-related pathologies it has become crucial to understand the age-associated cognitive changes that remain a major risk factor for the development of vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID). Furthermore, age-related Alzheimer’s disease and other neurogenerative diseases with vascular etiology are the most prominent contributing factors for the loss of cognitive function observed in aging. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) achieves physiologic effects by increasing oxygen tension (PO2), raising oxygen tissue levels, decreasing intracranial pressure and relieving cerebral edema. Many of the beneficial effects of HBOT exert their protective effects at the level of the microcirculation. Furthermore, the microcirculation’s exquisite pervasive presence across every tissue in the body, renders it uniquely able to influence the local environment of most tissues and organs, including the brain. As such, treatments aimed at restoring aging-induced functional and structural alterations of the cerebral microcirculation may potentially contribute to the amelioration of a range of age-related pathologies including vascular cognitive impairment, Alzheimer’s disease, and vascular dementias. Despite the presented evidence, the efficacy and safety of HBOT for the treatment of age-related vascular cognitive impairment and dementia remains understudied. The present review aims to examine the existing evidence indicative of a potential therapeutic role for HBOT-induced hyperoxia against age-related cerebromicrovascular pathologies contributing to cognitive impairment, dementia and decreased healthspan in the elderly.

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning can Lead a Perfect Result: A Case Report

Carbon monoxide poisoning (COP) is a common emergency worldwide, especially in the wintertime. It is known to cause serious morbidities, resulting in high mortality risk. COP is also reported to result in neurological complications for which hyperbaric oxygen therapy is likely to offer some benefits, which certainly makes it one of the potential treatment modalities. Here, Case in the paper is of a 64-year-old female patient with carbon monoxide poisoning. Her neurological symptoms nearly disappeared after the application of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) and conventional medical treatment. Our case guides for the key role of HBOT in the treatment process of a 64-year-old female patient with COP. Our clinical experience revealed that hyperbaric oxygen therapy could successfully reverse the symptoms of delayed neurological findings caused by COP, a serious and preventable health problem.

The role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers: a systematic review with meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials on limb amputation and ulcer healing.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is increasingly being used in the treatment of as diabetic foot ulcers (DFU). However, definitive evidence regarding its beneficial effects is still scarce. The present systematic review aims to analyze the role of HBOT in the prevention of limb amputation along with improvement of ulcer healing in patients with lower limbs DFU. Three databases were searched: PubMed, Scopus, and ISI Web of Knowledge. The search was enrolled during October 2020. Both titles and abstracts were examined by two independent reviewers. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting a comparison between standard DFU treatment and standard treatment associated with HBOT were included. In all studies eligibility was assessed and data regarding studies characteristics, methods and considered outcomes was obtained. Odds ratio (OR) was used to evaluate amputation and complete ulcer healing rates. Percentage of ulcer reduction at two weeks was evaluated using the inverse variance method, and the values were compared using mean difference values. Meta-analysis was done using a fixed-effect model if I2 values were under 50%, and a random-effects model if not. Eleven RCTs were included, with a total of 668 patients studied. Patients undergoing HBOT had lower risk of amputation (OR 0.53 95% CI 0.32-0.90, I2=31%). No difference was found in minor amputations (OR 0.89 95% CI 0.35-2.24, I2=69%). Regarding, healing rates, HBOT patients had greater chances of ulcer healing (OR 4,00 95% CI 1.54-10.44, I2=70%). It has also shown higher percentage of ulcer area reduction after two weeks of treatment in the HBOT group (mean difference 23.19%; 95% CI 14.86-31.52; I2=0%). The present review offers evidence that adjuvant HBOT decreases risk of major amputation while promoting wound healing when combined to standard treatment in the management of DFU. These findings may have clinical relevance in a selected group of patients, yet further larger studies are still needed.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy in inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Translational data suggest a potential role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in a subset of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis for the efficacy and safety of HBOT in IBD. We searched Pubmed, Embase and CENTRAL to identify studies reporting the efficacy of HBOT in ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. We pooled the response rates for HBOT in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease separately. A total 18 studies were included in the systematic review and 16 in the analysis. The overall response rate of HBOT in ulcerative colitis was 83.24% (95% confidence interval: 61.90-93.82), while the response in Crohn's disease was 81.89 (76.72-86.11). The results of randomized trials for HBOT as adjuvant therapy in ulcerative colitis were conflicting. The complete healing of fistula in fistulizing Crohn's disease was noted 47.64% (22.05-74.54), while partial healing was noted in 34.29% (17.33-56.50%). Most of the adverse events were minor. Observational studies suggest benefit of use of HBOT in ulcerative colitis flares and Crohn's disease. However, adequately powered randomized trials are needed to draw a definite conclusion.

The role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in inflammatory bowel disease: a narrative review.

Inflammatory bowel disease is a group of chronic recurrent diseases in the digestive tract, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Over the past few decades, the treatment of IBD has made great progress but there is still a lot of room for improvement. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) was defined as the therapeutic effect of inhaling 100% oxygen higher than one atmosphere and reported to be used in stroke, decompression sickness and wound healing. Since several authors reported the role of HBOT as an adjunct to conventional medical treatment in patients with refractory IBD, the relevant research has shown an increasing trend in recent years. Clinical and experimental studies have revealed that HBOT may exert its therapeutic effect by inhibiting inflammation and strengthening the antioxidant system, promoting the differentiation of colonic stem cells and recruiting cells involved in repair. The purpose of this review is to summarize the past clinical and experimental studies and to understand the impact of HBOT in the treatment of IBD more deeply. In addition, we also hope to provide some ideas for future clinical and research work.

THE RESPONSE OF HYPOXIA BIOMARKERS TO HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY IN PREVENTING HYPOXIA AT HIGH ALTITUDE

Training at high altitude for prolonged periods can cause low oxygen tension which can developed complication of hypoxia. Hypoxia is a cascade activity from a level of down regulation and function of cell’s nucleus. Early detection of biomarker and physiological changes are important in prevent the hypoxia at high altitude. Hyperbaric medicine is a new treatment that were used an oxygen therapy to treat hypoxic and inflammatory driven conditions which patients are treated with 100% oxygen at pressure greater than atmospheric pressure. The review discusses physiological changes associated with hypoxia, the response of biomarker hypoxia changes in high altitude and the role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy can play as part of the treatment for pilots and athletes training at high altitudes that suffering from disease with under lying hypoxia.

Colgajo de pectoral mayor para reconstrucción de defectos faríngeos. Descripción de un caso

Introducción: La fístula faringocutánea post-laringectomía total (LT) continúa siendo una complicación frecuente luego de esta intervención especialmente tras tratamiento radioterápico. Cuando fracasan las medidas conservadoras, es necesario recurrir a cirugía reconstructiva. En nuestro centro se utiliza el colgajo miocutáneo de pectoral mayor (CMPM), que asegura un flujo sanguíneo adecuado para el tratamiento fístulas post-irradiación. Descripción: Presentamos un paciente con una fístula faringocutánea tras LT que requirió una amplia reconstrucción mediante CMPM asimismo discutiremos el importante papel que juega el tratamiento con oxígeno hiperbárico en el manejo de las consecuencias post-radioterapia. Conclusión: En la era de la reconstrucción microvascular, el PMMC puede ser utilizado para la reconstrucción de grandes defectos de cabeza y cuello, consiguiendo una adecuada cobertura tras protocolos de preservación de órgano o pacientes con historia de enfermedad vascular.

The Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in the Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer Patients after Radiotherapy with Dental Implants

The Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in the Treatment of Head and Neck Cancer Patients after Radiotherapy with Dental Implants

Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Traumatic Brain Injury—Evidence-Based Consensus

AbstractTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major health problem in India and worldwide, resulting in significant morbidity, mortality, and disabilities of young and productive group of society. Various treatment modalities in the immediate period following a TBI are focused on altering the acute pathophysiology. Secondary injury is precipitated by ischemia resulting from decreased cerebral blood flow leading to hypoxia and is particularly likely to occur in the first 24 hours after injury. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) targets TBI-induced ischemia by exposing patients to an environment that substantially increases the amount of O2 inspiration (100% O2 at >1 atmosphere absolute), producing an increased O2 concentration in the plasma and thus increased delivery of O2 for diffusion to brain tissue. Despite the capacity of HBOT to protect against secondary ischemic damage, the use of HBOT for the treatment of TBI has been controversial. To gain acceptance in routine clinical use, a clinical method of assessing its effectiveness in the individual patient, computed tomography perfusion scan, single-photon emission computed tomography scans, and other intermediate indicators of the effects of HBOT should be examined by large and high-quality studies.

An old lady with acute headache and sudden blindness

A 60-year-old hypertensive lady experienced painless sudden visual loss in the right eye when resting at home. There was no traumatic injury, no eye pain, or flashes or floaters, or nausea, but mild right-sided headache for few days. She was not lifting heavy objects, nor straining. She managed to attend the emergency department within 1 h of onset of symptoms by herself walking into the consultation room unaided. Examination showed visual acuity with pinhole of hand movement over the right eye, right relative afferent pupillary defect and normal intraocular pressure of 15 mmHg. Extraocular movement was full without diplopia or pain. Eyes were not injected, and slit lamp examination was normal with clear cornea. Acute management of vascular causes of acute blindness and the role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in ophthalmological disease in Hong Kong will be discussed.

COVID-19 and HBOT: A conceptual standpoint

The Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy as an adjunct to treating patients with severe –COVID-19 infection is critical in recovery outcome of the patients as discussed in the articles reviewed in this paper and it will form a basis to develop treatment protocol for HBOT for COVID-19 patients by hyperbaric medical authorities. The critical standpoints in respect of pathophysiology and pharmacodynamics are emphasized in this paper.

Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Thiamine in Wernicke’s Encephalopathy Secondary to Crohn’s Disease: “Let there be Light”

Role of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy and Thiamine in Wernicke’s Encephalopathy Secondary to Crohn’s Disease: “Let there be Light”

Is there a role for hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of refractory wounds of rare etiology?

Delayed wound healing indicates wounds that have failed to respond to more than 4-6 weeks of comprehensive wound care. Wounds with delayed healing are a major source of morbidity and a major cost to hospital and community healthcare providers. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a treatment designed to increase the supply of oxygen to wounds and has been applied to a variety of wound types. This article reviews the place of HBOT in the treatment of non-healing vasculitic, calcific uremic arteriolopathy (CUA), livedoid vasculopathy (LV), pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) ulcers. We searched electronic databases for research and review studies focused on HBOT for the treatment of delayed healing ulcers with rare etiologies. We excluded HBOT for ulcers reviewed elsewhere. We included a total of three case series and four case reports including 63 participants. Most were related to severe, non-healing ulcers in patients with vasculitis, CUA, LV, and PG. There was some evidence that HBOT may improve the healing rate of wounds by increasing nitric oxide (NO) levels and the number of endothelial progenitor cells in the wounds. HBOT may also improve pain in these ulcers. We recommend the establishment of comprehensive and detailed wound care registries to rapidly collect prospective data on the use of HBOT for these problem wounds. There is a strong case for appropriately powered, multi-centre randomized trials to establish the true efficacy and cost-effectiveness of HBOT especially for vasculitis ulcers that have not improved following immunosuppressive therapy.

Role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the treatment of chronic ulcers of the foot in patients with type II diabetes mellitus

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in healing of chronic foot ulcers in patients with type II diabetes mellitus.Methods: A case control study included 40 type II diabetic patients with chronic foot ulcers not healing for more than 4 weeks. It has been conducted at Naser Institute for Research and Treatment and Menoufia University Hospital during the period between April 2017 and September 2018. Patients with non-healing diabetic foot ulcers were referred by physicians and were also identified through a number of wound care clinics in various hospitals.Results: Most ulcers were observed in the sole and heel in both groups A and B (n=14 and 9 respectively), while the rest of ulcers were distributed in other areas of the foot, namely the medial and lateral malleoli, dorsum and toes. On comparing the wound related complications developing during the treatment period, no statistically significant difference was found between both groups (p=0.147). As regards Wagner's grade, 7 patients (17.5%) had grade 4 ulcers, 18 patients (45%) had grade 3 ulcers and 15 patients (37.5%) had grade 2 ulcers, showing no statistically significant difference between both groups before treatment (p=0.259).Conclusions: HBOT is a useful adjunct in the treatment of non-healing diabetic foot ulcers, and that the cost of HBOT itself will be reduced as it becomes more widely available in the clinical setting, and as further knowledge of its other advantages, such as limited side effects and relative safety, become more widely appreciated.

Potential of hyperbaric oxygen in urological diseases.

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is a promising medical technology that delivers oxygen to targeted tissues at high pressure to increase the amount of dissolved oxygen in the blood. Over the past three decades, hyperbaric oxygen has been used in a variety of conditions, including radiation-induced tissue injuries, non-healing states with ischemia and malignant neoplasms. In the field of urology, hyperbaric oxygen has also been applied to some pathological conditions (e.g. radiation-induced hemorrhagic cystitis, Fournier gangrene, interstitial cystitis, male infertility, acute kidney injury and urological cancers). In normal and injured tissues, hyperoxia from hyperbaric oxygen therapy contributes to anti-inflammation, angiogenesis through endothelial proliferation, enhanced fibroblastic activity, increased lymphocyte and macrophage activity, and bactericidal effects with the aim of wound repair. In cancerous tissues, the enhanced supply of oxygen into the hypoxic cancer cells can exert inhibitory effects on factors that contribute to their aggressiveness (e.g. cell survival, escape from apoptosis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and tumor immunotolerance), and sensitize the tumor to radiation therapy and chemotherapy. However, further research, including multicenter clinical studies, is essential for determining the role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy in refractory urological diseases that are resistant to conventional therapies.

Is there a role for pentoxifylline and tocopherol in the management of advanced osteoradionecrosis of the jaws with pathological fractures? Case reports and review of the literature

Osteoradionecrosis (ORN) is an infrequent but serious complication of radiotherapy, especially in the head and neck region. It is a slowly progressive condition, with management in the early stages focused on symptom control, and surgery usually reserved for advanced ORN. However, established ORN is difficult to treat. The role of hyperbaric oxygen therapy has recently been contested. The use of pentoxifylline in the management of ORN was first described by Delanian in 2004, but its benefits have not been replicated in other studies. In cases of advanced ORN with pathological fractures, many centres still advocate surgical resection and reconstruction. However, in this group of patients who often have multiple medical comorbidities, many of whom have previously undergone significant surgery, a resective plan is not always ideal. This paper presents two successful cases of bony union after the use of pentoxifylline and tocopherol to manage grade III ORN of the mandible. Both patients had pathological fractures and orocutaneous fistulas and were deemed unsuitable for surgery. The possible reasons for the success of pentoxifylline and tocopherol are discussed, and a review of the current literature evidence of similar cases is presented. Pentoxifylline and tocopherol should be considered for the management of advanced ORN where surgical management is not appropriate.