What Researchers Did
Researchers studied 81 patients with severe sepsis and multiple organ failure to see if adding extracorporeal therapies and hyperbaric oxygenation improved outcomes compared to traditional treatment alone.
What They Found
They found that patients receiving only traditional therapy had a 94% mortality rate. However, for patients who also received extracorporeal methods and hyperbaric oxygenation, the mortality rate significantly decreased to 40%.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
For Canadian patients facing severe sepsis with multiple organ failure, this older research suggests that a combined approach including hyperbaric oxygen therapy might offer a better chance of survival than traditional treatments alone. While sepsis is a critical medical emergency, this study indicates potential benefits for improving patient outcomes.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
This study is from 1997 and involves a relatively small number of patients, and the abstract does not provide details on the specific hyperbaric oxygenation protocols used.