What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a retrospective study on 61 patients with inner ear decompression sickness who received hyperbaric chamber treatment between 2014 and 2021.
What They Found
The study included 61 patients with inner ear decompression sickness, comprising 24 vestibular, 28 cochlear, and 9 cochleo-vestibular injuries. All vestibular injuries recovered completely after hyperbaric chamber treatment, which used an oxygen-helium mixture with oxygen partial pressure limited to 2.8 atmosphere absolute (ATA). However, only 10 out of 37 (27%) patients with cochlear injuries achieved complete recovery, and a right-left shunt (like a patent foramen ovale) was found in 31.1% of patients but was not statistically significant.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This research provides insights into inner ear decompression sickness, a condition relevant to Canadian divers. It suggests that hyperbaric oxygen therapy can lead to full recovery for vestibular injuries, though complete recovery for cochlear injuries is less common. The study also indicates that a patent foramen ovale was not a statistically significant factor in these specific cases.
Canadian Relevance
This study covers decompression sickness, which is a Health Canada-recognized indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy. No direct Canadian connection was identified for the study authors or location.
Study Limitations
As a single-centre retrospective study, its findings may not apply to all patient populations or settings.