What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a retrospective study on 12 episodes of osteoradionecrosis in 11 patients who received hyperbaric oxygen therapy after conventional treatments had failed.
What They Found
All 12 episodes of osteoradionecrosis treated with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) had a successful outcome. However, 83% of these patients also required concurrent surgery to remove necrotic bone.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients with osteoradionecrosis that has not responded to conventional treatments might benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy. It is important to note that this treatment often requires additional surgery to remove dead bone for a successful outcome.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was not conducted in Canada or by Canadian researchers.
Study Limitations
A significant limitation of this study is its retrospective design and small sample size, which limits the generalizability of the findings.