What Researchers Did
Researchers pooled the results of 11 existing studies to see whether hyperbaric oxygen therapy helps heal venous leg ulcers, a type of open sore on the lower leg caused by poor vein circulation.
What They Found
This systematic review and meta-analysis combined data from 11 studies covering 617 patients (313 treated with HBOT, 304 controls) and found that HBOT added to surgery was associated with faster ulcer healing, averaging 13.76 fewer days (95% CI -20.42 to -7.10). It was also associated with lower pain scores, down 0.95 points on the VAS scale (95% CI -1.83 to -0.07), and a smaller ulcer area, with a weighted mean difference of -2.64 (95% CI -3.86 to -1.42). When HBOT was combined with non-surgical treatment, it was associated with a higher ulcer healing rate measure (PAR), up 20.82 points (95% CI 5.86 to 35.79), but the difference in ulcer area for this group (WMD 0.79, 95% CI -1.54 to 3.12) was not statistically significant.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For patients with venous leg ulcers undergoing surgery, this pooled analysis found HBOT used alongside surgery was associated with shorter healing time, less pain, and a smaller ulcer area. For patients treated without surgery, one measure of healing improved, but the effect on ulcer area size was not statistically significant, so the benefit in that group is less certain based on this evidence.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
The analysis combines 11 separate studies with differing designs, and the ulcer-area result for the non-surgical subgroup was not statistically significant, leaving that particular finding inconclusive.