What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a retrospective chart review of 35 patients with diabetes mellitus who received hyperbaric oxygen therapy after partial foot amputation between 1990 and 2000.
What They Found
Seventy percent (n=28) of patients achieved a successful outcome, defined as complete healing, while 30% (n=12) had a failed outcome. Successful outcomes were associated with significantly higher mean preoperative transcutaneous partial pressure of oxygen (tcPO2) levels (24 mm Hg vs 11 mm Hg), with all patients having a tcPO2 level greater than 29 mm Hg achieving success.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients with diabetes undergoing partial foot amputation could potentially benefit from preoperative tcPO2 measurements to help predict healing success. This information might aid clinicians in making more informed decisions regarding adjunctive hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was conducted outside of Canada.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its retrospective design and relatively small sample size, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.