What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the risk of middle ear complications in 267 patients receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy, comparing those with and without artificial airways.
What They Found
Of 18 patients with artificial airways, 17 (94%) developed middle ear or tympanic membrane complications, and 11 (61%) required tympanostomy tubes. In contrast, 114 (45.8%) of 249 patients without artificial airways developed ear complications, with 53 (21.3%) needing tympanostomy tubes.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy who also have an artificial airway face a substantially increased risk of ear complications. Proactive monitoring and discussion with their healthcare providers about potential tympanostomy tube placement may be advisable.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
As a retrospective study, it is limited by potential biases in data collection and the small sample size of patients with artificial airways.