What Researchers Did
Researchers treated nine patients with difficult-to-heal Crohn's disease fistulas using a combination of infliximab, 18-30 sessions of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, and anti-MAP antibiotics.
What They Found
All nine patients (100%) experienced complete healing of their fistulas. This healing occurred within 6 to 28 weeks, and patients were followed for an average of 18 months.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients with Crohn's disease who have fistulas that don't respond to standard treatments, this study suggests a new combination therapy might offer hope. This approach, including hyperbaric oxygen therapy, could help heal these challenging fistulas and improve quality of life.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The main limitation of this study is its small size, as it only involved nine patients in a case series.