What Researchers Did
US physicians reported two cases of patients who developed dying cartilage in the voice box (cricoid chondronecrosis) after being on breathing tubes, both of whom were treated with HBOT after tracheostomy and antibiotics.
What They Found
Both patients completed at least 20 HBOT sessions and were successfully removed from their tracheostomy tubes within six months of starting treatment. The authors note HBOT likely helped by reducing swelling, promoting new blood vessel growth, boosting antibiotic effectiveness, and supporting immune function in oxygen-deprived tissue.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
A case series of only two patients cannot establish HBOT as effective, these outcomes could reflect natural recovery, antibiotics, or other factors.