What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a multisite retrospective review comparing free flap reconstruction complications in patients with mandibular osteoradionecrosis who did or did not receive prior hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
What They Found
Among 89 patients undergoing free flap reconstruction for osteoradionecrosis, 39 (43.8%) received hyperbaric oxygen therapy while 50 (56.2%) did not. No significant difference in overall complications was observed between the groups (p = 0.5478), but there was a marginal increase in infections in patients with prior hyperbaric oxygen therapy (p = 0.0545).
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing free flap reconstruction for osteoradionecrosis should be aware that prior hyperbaric oxygen therapy may not reduce overall complications. There is even a suggestion of a marginal increase in infection risk with prior hyperbaric oxygen therapy in this context.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada or with Canadian participants.
Study Limitations
A key limitation of this study is its retrospective design, which may introduce inherent biases.