What Researchers Did
Researchers reported a case of a 54-year-old man with a chronic ischemic anastomotic ulcer after bowel surgery that had been refractory to multiple endoscopic and surgical treatments over 8 years, who received 30 HBOT sessions.
What They Found
Colonoscopy after completing HBOT revealed healing of the ulcer. The patient had no further overt gastrointestinal bleeding, and iron levels rose spontaneously over 12 months of follow-up, confirming durable healing.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Ischemic anastomotic ulcers are rare but extremely difficult to manage. This case shows that HBOT can heal ischemic bowel wounds that have failed multiple surgeries -- a potentially valuable option for Canadian colorectal surgeons managing patients with recurrent anastomotic complications after cancer surgery.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
This is a single case report; the spontaneous remission of anastomotic ulcers can occasionally occur, and the contribution of HBOT cannot be proven without a controlled comparison.