What Researchers Did
Researchers compared nasal mucosa biopsies from 9 tinnitus patients who received 15 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy with those from 9 healthy volunteers who did not.
What They Found
The hyperbaric oxygen therapy group (n=9) showed a significant increase in epithelial basement membrane thickness and a moderate enhancement in infiltrating neutrophils in their nasal mucosa compared to the control group (n=9). These minor architectural changes may represent the respiratory tract's response to increased pressure and oxygen.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing chronic hyperbaric oxygen therapy may experience minor, localized changes in their nasal passages, such as increased basement membrane thickness and mild neutrophilic infiltration. These findings suggest that the respiratory tract adapts to the increased pressure and oxygen levels during treatment.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is the small sample size of only nine individuals in each group.