What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a prospective randomized controlled trial comparing 20 sessions of HBOT plus standard compression therapy versus compression therapy alone in 80 adults with chronic venous leg ulcers persisting more than 3 months.
What They Found
The HBOT group achieved 62.1% wound area reduction at day 30 versus 41.7% in controls (p less than 0.001), and complete healing at 90 days occurred in 62.5% versus 30.0%. TcPO2 increased from 26 to 150 mmHg in the HBOT group, and pain scores improved significantly more.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Chronic venous leg ulcers affect approximately 1-3% of adults and are a major burden on Canadian wound care programs. This RCT suggests adjunctive HBOT nearly doubles complete healing rates in refractory cases, supporting expanded access for eligible patients.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
Open-label design without a sham control and single-centre setting limit confidence in the findings; longer-term follow-up data are needed.