What Researchers Did
Researchers evaluated the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on microvascular tissue and cell proliferation in the oral mucosa of 20 patients previously treated with radiotherapy.
What They Found
After hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), blood vessel density and area significantly increased (P=0.002-0.041), and D2-40-positive lymphatic vessels also significantly increased in number and area in the sub-epithelial region (P=0.002 and P=0.019). No significant changes were observed in the control group or in epithelial cell proliferation.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients who have undergone radiotherapy for orofacial cancers might benefit from hyperbaric oxygen therapy to improve blood and lymphatic vessel density in irradiated oral mucosa. This could potentially aid in tissue healing and reduce complications associated with radiation damage.
Canadian Relevance
This study was not conducted in Canada and does not have a direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is the relatively small sample size of 20 patients, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.